Former England captain Joe Root is known for his conventional playing style and batting technique in red-ball cricket but even he has started to experiment with innovative shots thanks to the Bazball mindset adopted by the team under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
Root has fallen in love with the reverse ramp shot (or scoop) against fast bowlers in recent times and has already played it a few times in the ongoing Ashes 2023 against Australia.
He was again seen playing the scoop on Day 3 of the fifth Test at The Oval on Saturday. And once again the ball travelled over the boundary ropes for a six.
Root brought the shot out against Mitchell Marsh in the 34th over of England's second innings and timed the ball to perfection for the maximum result.
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England's lead crosses 250
Root and Jonny Bairstow forged a solid 43-run partnership to take England to 265 for 4 at tea with the hosts leading the Aussies by 253 runs.
Root and Bairstow will resume the innings on 34 and 61, respectively.
Root's 40th Test fifty saw him equal Alastair Cook's record for the most fifty-plus scores for England in the longest format.
This was also his 22nd fifty-plus score in the Ashes, drawing him level with Ian Bell's tally. Only Jack Hobbs (27) and Herbert Sutcliffe (24) have more fifty-plus scores for England in the Ashes than Root and Bell.
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