Today is the birthday of Indian wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel, who made his India debut way back in 2002 and still somehow manages to look 17 all throughout his career. We bring to you 8 amazing facts about Parthiv Patel who recently made a comeback into the Indian Test team against England.

1. Youngest wicketkeeper in Test history on his debut

Parthiv Patel made his debut against England in 2002 at Trent Bridge at the age of 17 years and 153 days. He stood in for an injured Ajay Ratra and became the youngest wicket keeper to play a Test match. He broke the record of Pakistan's Hanif Mohammad, who made his debut for Pakistan at the age of 17 years and 300 days.

2. Team Mascot

Parthiv Patel led the Indian team in the Wisden Indian Cricketer of the Century Awards in 2002 in London and was mistaken by the audience as a team mascot, rather than a member of the Indian cricket team.

3. Famously sledged Steve Waugh

Steve Waugh was playing his last Test series against India in 2003-04 and in his final Test at Sydney; he was playing a true Steve Waugh innings and keeping Australia in the game. Parthiv was chirping behind the stumps when Waugh was batting and that was the point when the following conversation happened, which has now become a folklore.

Parthiv said," Come on Steve, just one more of your popular slog-sweeps before you quit." In return, Waugh came up with a classy reply and answered him, "Show a bit of respect. You were in nappies when I debuted 18 years ago."

4. Even AB de Villiers is a fan

AB de Villiers is an admirer of the pocket size keeper as he said in an interview that he found Parthiv highly irritating behind the stumps and was glad that Parthiv was playing for his own IPL franchise, the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

5. Known to take a joke on himself

Parthiv has been picked upon a lot of players and teammates on his height or the lack of thereof. He has many photos on social media and other media where he himself is making fun of his height. Take the famous tweet for example where he compared his height to that of a Dosa.

6. Owns an unwanted record

Parthiv Patel has made numerous comebacks into the Indian team, once he was replaced by MS Dhoni in 2004. He came back to the Indian team in 2008 against Sri Lanka, after MS Dhoni pulled out of the series with an injury.

He then made a comeback in 2016 against England, after 8 years of absence from the team, which is a record. He missed a record 83 Test matches in between appearances for India in Tests.

7. IPL journeyman

Parthiv Patel has been a permanent fixture in the Indian Premier League and is one of the few players who have played for multiple franchises. He has featured in IPL for Chennai Super Kings, Kochi Tuskers, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and now Mumbai Indians.

8. Owns a unique record

Parthiv is the only Indian to score 5 consecutive hundreds in the five consecutive innings in first class cricket. He scored 126, 124, 164, 110, 179 from July to October in 2007.