Gone Too Soon – Road Fatalities That Killed Sportspersons

When the news broke about Indian cricketer and star wicket-keeper-batter Rishabh Pant being involved in a road accident on December 30, it sent shockwaves across the country. (More Cricket News)

Pant was travelling alone and had fallen asleep at the wheels resulting in his car colliding with the divider on the Narsan border of Roorkee, and catching fire. The 25-year-old was helped by people at the scene in what could only be described as a miracle escape.

BCCI, the national cricket governing body, released a statement detailing the injuries suffered by the southpaw – two cuts on the forehead, a ligament tear on his right knee and several abrasions to his back.

As per latest updates, Pant has been shifted to Mumbai where he is set to undergo surgery for his ligament tears. He has also been ruled out of competitive cricket for an indefinite period.

Over the years, Indian city and state police have taken it upon themselves to spread awareness about road safety through Twitter primarily. Though their tweets, at times, may sound goofy or 'pun'tastic, their message is clear - follow the road rules to live.

But India still continues to see a high number of accidents.  

Talking about sportspersons, Pant is not the first to be involved in an automobile accident. And though he, like Mohammed Shami and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, was lucky to have survived, there are reputable names in cricket and other sports that did not live to tell the tale.

Melbourne-born Ben Hollioake was the younger brother of England cricketer Adam Hollioake, and the youngest cricketer of the England team at the time of his death aged 24. On March 23, 2002, Ben was returning from a family function when he lost control of his Porsche, crashing into a wall on the Kwinana Freeway in Perth, Australia.

Two-time World Cup winner and Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds died in a horrific car crash outside Townsville, Queensland. The 46-year-old's death was one of the most devastating news for cricket fans in 2022. Often referred to as 'Roy' for having a resemblance to Brisbane basketball player Leroy Loggins, Symonds was driving on the Harvey Range Road when his car rolled after leaving the road. The paramedics at the site tried to resuscitate the cricketer but to no avail.

Veteran cricket umpire Rudy Koertzen was 73 years old when he met with a road accident that cost him his life. While returning home from after a weekend of golf, the high-profile South African former official met with a head-on collision near the town of Riversdale in the Western Cape province. Koertzen was one of the most respected umpires in the cricket community and was known for his 'slow finger of death' while signalling a batter out.

The swashbuckling all-rounder O'Neil Gordon Smith was well-known in Jamaica and had represented West Indies in 26 Tests. At the time of his death, Smith was alongside cricket legend Gary Sobers and Tom Dewdney. Sir Gary Sobers was at the wheel when he was blinded by the headlights of an approaching vehicle, and with no time to react, ran into a 10-ton cattle truck. Though Sobers escaped with minor injuries, Dewdney and Collie Smith suffered the worst fates. Smith, just 26, died four days later unable to recuperate from a fractured spine. 

Jose Antonio Reyes was one of the most famous footballers in Spain representing local clubs Sevilla, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Benfica. He also played alongside French footballer Thierry Henry under Arsene Wenger's Arsenal, with Robert Pires and Denis Bergkamp in tow. He represented Spain in the 2006 World Cup. Reyes was 35 when he met with a car accident on June 1, 2019. The vehicle had suffered either a steering or tyre failure resulting in the driver losing control.

Runako Morton, 33, was the sole occupant of his car when it crashed into a utility pole in Chase Village in central Trinidad. During his time as a West Indies cricketer, Morton was notorious for disciplinary breaches, including being involved in a stabbing incident and lying about his grandmother's death. He represented his country in 15 Tests and 56 ODIs with his last international appearance coming against Australia in a T20I in 2010.

Bangladesh cricketer Manjural Islam Rana, who played six Test matches and 25 ODIs for his country, was 22 when he died in a road accident in the midst of the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies. He was not a part of that Bangladesh squad. The road accident occurred when his motorcycle crashed into a motor bus and then an electric pole by the side of the road. Two months prior, he was involved in another road accident from which he had walked away unharmed.

Not everyone who buys a vehicle is an adrenaline junkie. In fact, they are seen as an essential commodity by many people today, nothing more.

Road accidents are tragic and they not only change the life of the person involved but also of those known to them. As for Indian roads, drivers’ thinking of “creating a lane” when there is no room needs to change.

The Pant crash is one more reminder the country needs stricter road discipline. Precaution is always better than cure.