Less than five months after the tragic demise of Phillip Hughes on the cricket field, a promising cricketer died in a Kolkata hospital on Monday following an on-field head injury sustained during a game three days back.
Former Bengal Under-19 captain Ankit Keshri, who sustained the head injury in an on-field collision with a fellow fielder while taking a catch on Friday, breathed his last in a private hospital.
While the bereaved family alleged "medical negligence", top politicians and Bollywood actors expressed condolences.
The 20-year-old East Bengal player was injured and fell unconscious on the ground following a collision with Sourav Mondal during a Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) senior knockout match against Bhowanipore.
The opening batsman, a member of the Under-23 Bengal squad this year, was under treatment in two hospitals after his injury, and passed away following a massive heart attack, a CAB official said.
Keshri, who came from a very humble background, had also made it to the 30-member India U-19 probables list for the 2014 Colts World Cup in the United Arab Emirates last year
CAB treasurer Biswarup Dey said soon after the collision, Keshri was given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation by another cricketer, S.S. Singh and then examined by a doctor before being rushed to a hospital close to the ground in an ambulance stationed at the Jadavpur University stadium.
Keshri's father Raj Kumar Keshri alleged that his son had to be shifted to a private city hospital in central Kolkata on Sunday following the instructions given by a CAB official.
"On Friday, tests and scans were done initially and the doctors said he is fine. We were told he is normal and he will be transferred to the general ward from the ICU. But later they said he had contracted fever and so they didn't shift him to the general ward," said the grieving father, who runs a small tea stall at Bansdroni in the city's southern outskirts.
"We shifted him to another hospital after the doctors said CAB officials had suggested so."
"At the other hospital, doctors said there is a slight injury and he is drowsy. They said he will remain there for three to four days. On Sunday, they informed us he will be shifted to the general ward but we got a phone call early morning today saying there was a heart block," he added.
Raj Kumar also blamed medical negligence for his son's death.
"If the treatment was good, then he could have been saved. He was playing well. He did not have any bad habits," the grieving father said. The victim's brother, crying inconsolably, accused the doctor s of "callousness".
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condoled Keshri's death.
"Saddened, shocked with the news of young cricketer Ankit's death as a result of an on-field accident. My condolences and prayers. RIP," Banerjee posted on Twitter.
The Trinamool Congress chief attended his funeral later in the day.
Keshri's tragic fate invoked the memories of the unfortunate death of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes who was fatally hit by a bouncer during a domestic match on November 25 last year, and died from the injuries two days later.
Former India cricketer Raman Lamba also died in a similar way, from injuries sustained during a cricket match. He was hit by a ball on the temple while fielding in a Bangladesh league cricket match and died after slipping into coma due to internal haemorrhage on February 23, 1998.
In a tragic quirk of fate, Keshri was only the 12th man for East Bengal in the fateful game, and came on to the field a little earlier as team member Arnab Nandi took a break.
"He was not in the playing eleven. Railways all-rounder Nandi had gone out for some reason, and Kesri went in as a replacement. Only a few overs were left in the match," said a CAB official.
Indian cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble condoled Keshri's death.
"Saddened by the demise of Ankit Keshri. A promising career aborted by an unfortunate incident on field. May God give strength to Ankit's family and friends to cope with this loss #RIP," Tendulkar wrote on his social networking page Twitter.
Kumble wrote: "Sad news of a young promising cricketer Ankit losing his life on field of play. May God give strength to loved ones to bear this loss!"
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who is West Bengal's brand ambassador and co-owner of Indian Premier League team Kolkata Knight Riders, also expressed grief.
Actor Hrithik Roshan said he is "saddened" by the tragic death.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) tweeted: "RIP Ankit Keshri. Young cricketer passes away because of cardiac arrest following on-field injury."
