T20 World Cup 2022: "I don't think any player has the guts to even attempt to play that scoop shot" - Mohammad Kaif on Suryakumar Yadav's innate precision with the unorthodox shot 

Former Team India batter Mohammad Kaif has lavished praise on Suryakumar Yadav for mastering the scoop shot.

The Mumbai-born batter has made the unorthodox shot look very easy and has scored the bulk of his runs, especially in death overs with the maneuver.

The scoop shot was the focal point of Suryakumar's blistering 25-ball 61-run knock against Zimbabwe during the T20 World Cup 2022. He played with the field and scooped the wide yorkers to fine leg with the utmost precision to propel India to a commanding 186-5 in their first innings.

Noting that most players often have second thoughts even considering playing the scoop shot in the nets, Kaif said in an exclusive interaction with Sportskeeda:

"I don't think any player has the guts to even attempt to play that scoop shot, not even in the nets. Every player has the fear that the ball will splice off the bat and hit the grill while playing the scoop shot, no matter how big a player you are."

Kaif continued:

"But Suryakumar Yadav is different, forget the fear of getting hit, he is scoring a bulk of his runs with that scoop shot."

The right-handed batter has been labeled as 'Mr.360' for his unconventional exploits, where he makes the most of each part of the ground. His unorthodox methods, coupled with his red-hot form, make him an absolute nightmare for opposition captains and bowlers to conjure up a plan against him.

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"Every match he is producing something better than the last one" - Mohammad Kaif on Suryakumar Yadav's rising stock

Suryakumar's contribution to Team India's recent success in the shortest format has been immense. The right-handed batter recently touched the 1000-run mark for 2022 and has maintained an impressive strike rate to go with it.

Often batting in the middle overs, he has been vital in the team's improved batting performances in the biggest phase of the game, which has often been a cause for concern in the past.

Opining that Suryakumar is setting new standards, which is leaving everyone dumbfounded, Kaif said:

"He is superseding his own performances with every new knock. Which knock is even his best one? Every match he is producing something better than the last one. He practices accordingly in the nets, he has said it in the past that the shots he plays in the matches have been tried out in the nets before."

Adding that he is a huge fan of Suryakumar, Kaif continued:

"I have become a huge fan of Suryakumar Yadav because playing match-winning knocks coming in at No.4 is very difficult, very few players do that. His flick shot, the way he uses his wrists, his cut shot, the way he plays down the ground, the 360 tag given to him is completely justified, it is the right name for him."

The ace batter was recently rewarded for his imperious form of late after being crowned the No.1-ranked T20I batter.

He will next be seen in action during Team India's semi-final clash against England on Thursday, November 10, at the Adelaide Oval.

Is Suryakumar Yadav India's best T20I batter in terms of impact and performance? Let us know what you think.

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