Iqbal Khan: The Mumbai cricketer who first played the scoop shot

Iqbal Khan (File Photo)

Since the advent of Twenty20 (T20) cricket a few years ago, the art of batting has undergone an unprecedented transformation. Over recent years, we have been fortunate to witness a number of highly skilled batsmen play unconventional strokes that were considered almost impossible to execute earlier and leave us gasping for breath in the process. One such stroke that has captured the imagination of cricket lovers around the world is the scoop shot, which has been employed on a regular basis by the likes of Tillakaratne Dilshan, Brendon McCullum and AB de Villiers.

However, you would be surprised to know that the scoop shot was actually first played by former Mumbai batsman Iqbal Khan in a Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra no less than 24 years ago. Playing at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Iqbal is reported to have pulled off the scoop behind the wicketkeeper in a nonchalant manner en route to his innings of 105.

"Former India Test cricketer, the late Hanumant Singh, who was our coach then, was also surprised, but was very happy to see an innovation in the middle. He patted my back and said 'miya, kya shot maara'," Iqbal, who was recently speaking to Mid-Day at the Cricket Club of India (CCI), recalled.

Former Indian and Mumbai batting stalwart Dilip Vengsarkar testified to Iqbal being a pioneer of playing the scoop shot stating, "Iqbal played the scoop shot really well. Batsmen were always on the look to find gaps and Iqbal found one behind the wicketkeeper. He tried it and was very successful at it."

Iqbal informed that he developed the stroke while playing league cricket in England, as playing in front of the wicket can be quite difficult on some of the sticky surfaces that are found at the lower levels there.

Iqbal was a part of the Mumbai side in the late 1980s and early 1990s that had players of the calibre of Vengsarkar, Ravi Shastri, Sandeep Patil among others, and the 46-year-old acknowledged that he was fortunate to be part of an extremely successful era of Mumbai cricket.