Brett Lee recalls Pat Cummins being ‘short fingered’ during commentary

Pat Cummins has returned to Test cricket in the ongoing India vs Australia Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He made his debut as an 18-year-old and at 23, prior to the third Test against India that was his only appearance wearing the baggy greens. His return has also brought with it the story of how the pacer lost the top of his middle finger as a child.

This story is not known to many and remains unusual. Cummins is missing the top of the middle finger on his right hand. While commentating during the match, former Australian quick Brett Lee recalled how the speedster had lost the top part of the finger on his bowling hand.

In 2011, Cummins told the story himself in an exclusive interview with cricket.com.au. And here are some interesting things he revealed. “I lost the top of my finger when I was about three or four (years old). It got slammed in a door and I lost about a centimetre off the top of my finger. It doesn’t really affect me because (the finger) is about the same length as the other one (index finger).” he recalled.

He then added, “I still get my sister in tears … (because) she slammed the door on it.”

The missing part of the finger surely has not had any negative effect on Cummins’ ability as a bowler, even though the middle finger is crucial for a fast bowler, particularly when trying to generate out-swing.

According to Brett Lee, though, the shortened finger helps the right-armer’s bowling. “(The two fingers) are the exact same length, which may aid the ball coming out of the fingers with a nice seam position,” he said.

Cummins was welcomed back into the Test arena with a pearler from Ravindra Jadeja on the second day. The Indian spinner clean bowled him for a duck.

But Cummins found his rhythm with the ball, he bowled his heart out in the short spells Steve Smith used him for. The pacer bowled at express pace, used the bouncer, slowed down the ball rolling his fingers over and was rewarded with the wicket of KL Rahul in his second spell.