The image shows him appealing for a wicket during the third Test against Pakistan in Sydney last week, with what appears to be just four fingers on his right hand.

The photo was the work of Getty Images photographer Matt King, who didn't spot the oddity until he saw it on the Australian team's Facebook page, where many commenters had taken notice.

One asked, "is this Photoshopped?" to which the answer was a resounding no.

What happened was that Hazlewood's pinky and ring fingers had lined up perfectly, making it seem as if he was down a digit.

"I went back to the original file and checked it and yeah, the finger was missing. I couldn't work [out] it where it had gone," King told Cricket.com.au

"But absolutely no Photoshop was involved, we do not do that."

King said looking back at his full sequence of shots had helped solve the mystery.

"He kind of rolls his hand as he moves and slowly the ring finger is obscured. It was just by chance that I chose that one frame where the finger is entirely obscured to publish."

Using all five of his fingers, Hazlewood had a good series against Pakistan, taking 15 wickets at an average of 19.60 in the three tests.

He is being rested for the first one-day international between the the two sides, which is on Friday night in Brisbane.

Stuff.co.nz