Parthiv Patel's Inspiring Story: Lost A Finger At Six, Never Complained, Kept Going

Martin Guptill played for New Zealand with two toes on his left foot. Besides his abilities to hit the ball clean, he is a fine fielder and has taken some spectacular catches on the rope. It is these difficulties in life which defines a player and builds character. Senior India wicket-keeper batsman Parthiv Patel has a similar story. But for both, it never came as an excuse as they went on to achieve several heights in their career.

Not many anticipated Gujarat to clinch their maiden Ranji trophy title in 2016-17 under the captaincy of Parthiv Patel. That season, the side was devoid of the services of their premier bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel but then coach Vijay Patel was confident about his wards and saw them rise to glory. It was a year Priyank Panchal will cherish for the rest of life as he was the most runs scorer in the prestigious tournament.

Parthiv Patel: My finger came in door, it  got cut

Parthiv Patel has never before brought the incident to light. He said, his finger got stuck in the door when he was a toddler and he lost it. It was his little finger Patel was referring about and later added that he used to tape it to ensure it remains intact when he played as it would not fit inside his keeping gloves.

“My finger came in the door when I was six, and it got cut,” revealed Patel on Cow Corner Chronicles.

“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 wicketkeeper with nine fingers,” Patel added.

486 catches, 77 stumping in first-class cricket and legend of Parthiv Patel continues to grow in Ranji trophy. He did not have a fruitful outing for the national team but records a decent average in the longest format of the game. He has been relied by his former side Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL as an opener and has well delivered with some quick-fire knocks.