Rishabh Pant was moved out of the intensive care unit (ICU) of Max Hospital in Dehradun and shifted to a private ward on Sunday evening.

The medical team of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to move him to Delhi or Mumbai for treatment of the damaged ligaments on his right knee and ankle.

The 25-year-old cricketer was on his way from Delhi to see his mother in Roorkee in Uttarakhand when his car crashed into a road divider on December 30. He miraculously escaped from the Mercedes, which went up in flames, without life-threatening injuries.

“There are several factors behind the possibility of shifting him from Dehradun. The foremost reason is his condition, which demands meticulous treatment for three to four months on his injured ligaments through medication and physiotherapy. Surgery may also be needed.

“The other reason is too many visitors at the hospital. Despite all efforts, the hospital authorities are unable to control the visitors. Rishabh’s mother, Saroj Pant, had complained to the DDCA officials when they had visited the Dehradun hospital on Saturday,” said a source in the state government.

Shyam Sharma, the director of DDCA, had told a section of the media: “He is doing well and has been shifted to a private suit due to fear of infection. We had told his family and the hospital to do so… There shouldn’t be VIP movement to meet Rishabh.”

It is understood that the MRI scans on Pant’s knee and ankle have been held back because of the pain and swelling. Plastic surgery was performed to treat his facial injuries.

The BCCI is hopeful that Pant will be fit to travel in the next few days so that its panel of doctors can start determining the extent of the suspected ligament injuries.

Hardik Pandya, who will lead in the T20I series against Sri Lanka which starts in Mumbai on Tuesday, wished Pant a speedy recovery.

“What happened is very unfortunate, no one has control over it. As a team we wish him all the best, our love and prayers are always with him,” Pandya told reporters. “Wish him a speedy recovery. Obviously, he was a very important part of the team, now everyone knows the situation and lot of other people can get opportunities.

“Yes, Pant, if he was also there, he would have made a big difference because of the player he is, but now he is not there so we can’t control it. We will see what the future holds for us.”

Former captain Kapil Dev believes any cricketer representing the country like Pant should be “more careful” and hire drivers.

“We can avoid things that can lead to mishaps like these,” Kapil was quoted as saying by ABP News. “The players don’t need to drive themselves. They can afford drivers.”

With inputs from Our Bureau