Not many are aware that Indian cricketer Parthiv Patel, who continues to play on and off for the national team, has only nine fingers. The wicket-keeper has recently revealed how he lost the little finger on his left hand in an accident.
In an Instagram Live session, Parthiv recalled the childhood incident when he lost his little finger. “My finger came in the door when I was six, and it got cut,” he said. Parthiv added that it’s tough to keep wickets with just nine fingers as his cut finger doesn’t fit in the gloves. He says that he usually tapes the glove with the finger so that it stays intact and doesn’t hurt when he keeps wickets.
However, the 35-year-old has no qualms about losing his little finger as he says he is glad to have played for India with just nine fingers.
“It is slightly difficult in a way because the last finger doesn’t fit in the wicket-keeping gloves. So I tape it down the gloves so that it stays joint. I don’t know how it would’ve been if I had all the fingers but when I look back, it feels good to represent India as a wicket-keeper with nine fingers,” he said.
Parthiv made his debut for India in 2002, and was also part of the 2003 World Cup squad. Though the last time he played for the national side was in 2018 against South Africa, Parthiv has been active in domestic cricket, playing for Gujarat. Gujarat team won the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy under his leadership after he scored 90 and 143 in both innings in the final against Mumbai.
