The Cougars of DCL
Ajay Chadalavada: The most sought-after player in the DCL. Started his career as an opener of GLCC, who by the way were champions for many seasons. In the 2009 season many teams tried getting him and I succeeded getting him into Cougars after a lot of bars and beers J, kidding of course. He did great justice to his inclusion. As a seasoned player of the T-ball league he brought all his experience as an opener and provided some great starts for us. One another positive thing that happened after he joined us is Naggy (his opening partner) started played long innings. Aggregated 100+ in the 2009 season and most of his innings showed a lot of character. Ajay also played a key role in the practice sessions which brought in a lot of discipline to the team and improvement in the fielding and bowling departments. Also captain of the CF XI and DCFS CC for three years, once he took us to the semis(DCFS CC) and once won the championship (CF XI). Also known as a story teller, he weaves fantasies in seconds. May become a good movie maker in the future for he sure knows how to fool anyone..or is it just me J?.
Anand: Captain of the 2008 Cougars team. Led the team to the play offs in his first captaincy. An all-rounder for Cougars who happens to be an excellent fielder. A wizard with the ball, it’s never easy to play him. He is one another bowler like Vinay who has variety, and has been a successful bowler with the slower ones. With the bat Anand has displayed some great innings. With Anand in the crease even Aravind Kundur runs well between the wickets J. It’s that kind of influence he has on his partners. When he gets going with the bat, the going gets tough for any bowlers. His eloquent 44 against Alpha in 2007 was THE best innings from him. Also known as “Jonty” Anand, he makes diving catches look easy. The three diving catches against Juggs in 2006 which almost snatched the game away from them is a very memorable one. An decent contribution both from the bat and ball in 2009. One another wicket taking bowler after Chowdry this season.
Aravind Kolanakoduru: Captain of the 2006 Cougars. Also known as
“The Gilchrist of Cougars”. Always a treat to see this guy bat. The best all-rounder for my team. Aravind was one of the few players when we started our team in 2005. Since then nothing has changed his form. Consistent has been his middle name. He started bowling from the second season and left no stones unturned in that department either. He proved deadlier with each season after that. If the DCL was played in a full ground, Aravind would have been the player to have hit the most number of sixes or perhaps one of the top run makers too. In 2008 he was THE player for Cougars and SMART XI. Pretty much every player in DCL know him by his name, he attracted his opponents with his game and more importantly his humility. Whatever be his contribution to the match he has a good head over his shoulders and the opponents always seem to be friendly with him. He lets his game do the talking than anything else. Also known to have a good sense of humor, he keeps the team entertained with his wits and jokes. Aravind also made Cougars proud by getting selected for the “All DCL Team”. Played for Falcons in 2009.
Aravind Kundur: Joined Cougars in 2008 and made quite an impression on debut. A “Shewag” kind of attitude, he goes after every bowler with oozing confidence. An excellent timer of the ball, he is one Cougar who has cleared the boundry more than anyone else in the 2008 season. His dogged effort against Youthriders in 2008 along with Mallik and Dhaval brought him to limelight. After that match Cougars had quite an expectation from him every time he goes out to bat and he sure delivers. His innings against Strikers same season was classy and brazen. Even the best of Striker bowlers couldn’t trouble him. As a strike bowler he proved to be good contender for Mallik with just one little difference. For some reason Kundur seems to generate more pace in the practice sessions than the matches and Mallik does it all the time. On a lighter vein, he has provided some entertaining moments with some of his idiosyncrasies. Played for Falcons in 2009.
Aravind MS: Another rookie for Cougars in 2008. During his short stay with Cougars, he had impressed one and all with his classy game. A stylish batsman whose first game against Strikers was a treat for those who loved to watch orthodox and authentic cricketing shots. Just when he was ripe for the crucial games he suddenly disappeared and left the opener slot available to 11 other players!!
Chowdry Thameneni: Another player who announced his arrival with a superb innings for CF XI against MBF XI. Chowdry made 20 odd runs in that match. From what I remember I saw him walking down the pitch against some fast bowlers and playing them with full face of the bat. His motto has always been – whatever be the situation of the game and no matter who is bowling , just go and dispirit the bowler right away. Another batsman like Kundur who goes for the shots irrespective of the situation. A great bowler, he generates excellent pace mostly during his first spells.
In 2009 he was THE bowler for cougars taking 24 wickets in total. Opened the bowling with skipper Mallik and this opening pair turned out to be lethal for most of the matches. A great team player and has a competitive spirit.
Dhaval Shukla: A surprise find for Cougars in the 2008 season. I selected him as an “optional” player for CF XI. His first game for CF XI was against SMART XI and he made his presence felt as an opener who made 20 odd runs to give CF XI a good start. After that it was the Youthriders game where we got to see his all round performance. Mallik who led that game was determined to use him as a first change after seeing him bowl in the practice, and Dhaval responded well to his captain with a wicket maiden in his first over. In the same match Dhaval played a crucial part with the bat and partnered with his captain for a good 8th wicket partnership. His role as a Cougar was very much defined after that match - A key bowler and reliable batsman for any slot. Very committed from the first game, he “made” himself available even after his wife delivered their first kid. Cougars missed Dhaval very much for the playoffs and quarters. Left Cougars after 2008, moved to another state in US.
Dayanand:
The “Uncle Sam” of Cougars, the pillar that held the Cougars for three years in a row. I played against Dayanand first when I was playing for Lansing
Mallik Reddy: Mighty Mighty Mallik! Captain of Cougars 2009. Another perfect all rounder for Cougars. Mallik's commitment to this game has been exceptional. He is one player in Cougars who gives 101%. Perhaps with the wrong family of cats, because the mighty roar he gives when he hits those sixers and cleans the stumps makes him a Lion, not a Cougar. When I formed Crusaders in 2005, Mallik wasn’t very serious about cricket. I thought we can just use him as a reserve J but couple of games later I realized that we have one of the best players in our line up. The innings where he made 50 of 55 balls (6x4, 1x6) in 2005 against Tigers was his best and perhaps the fastest 50 for DCL, until Jegan from Strikers broke that record in 2008. As a bowler he is THE fastest Cougar. Batsmen dread him and Cougars always look up to him for getting the vital breakthroughs and seldom has he failed. He is one player in Cougars who I always feel answerable for any blunders because just like him he expects 101 % from every player. The 2009 season saw a completely different Mallik. A captain leading from the front and had a great control over the team, and brought tremendous discipline in the team especially in the bowling department.
Naggy: Another player like Vinay who I love to watch when he bats. His stance reminds me of Graham Thorpe of England
Shridhar Iyengar: The middle order anchor for Cougars, in other words a “Dravid” for Cougars. Classy just like Vinay, Naggy or Aravind MS, I have rarely seen him playing across. Joined Cougars in 2007 and his first DCL series saw some splendid innings and some great fielding too. The two innings that were his best in 2008 – the friendly match with Strikers in the beginning of the season and the patient composed innings against GCG which was crucial for us to get into playoffs. The GCG match sure deserves some mention, Cougars had lost 5 wickets and it was upto Shridhar and Daya to get us back in the game, and they did with Shridhar playing a major part. Shridhar didn’t get to play a lot of games because of his other commitments. But with him in the 11, Cougars always had a sense of confidence that they will win. His mere presence was always a moral boost for the team. Didn't play the 2009 season due to his other commitments.
Rajesh Chintapalli: The strike bowler for Crusaders/Cougars. Very very competitive on the field. Too bad we couldn't see his much of his action in 2008 because of his family commitments. He was the pick of the bowlers in the past seasons and used to open the bowling with Mallik. With his impeccable line and pace he has troubled many good opponents. What I noticed with Rajesh is he strives hard to make every delivery count and that gives him less chances of making mistakes. Rajesh has also played some memorable innings with the bat. One innings that isn’t easy to forget is his partnership with Anand for the 10th wicket against Thunderbolts in 2006 where he almost took us to victory. He was the highest scorer for Cougars that game. The 2009 season saw him as an all rounder, not just a bowler. His confidence with the bat went up and he played some catchy innings.
Saiffudin Feroz Bhagat: A “soft” guy J, One another opener for Cougars who though was not that successful than the other two (Naggy and Venkat). As a batsman he is much capable than everyone else. He just didn’t click. His first season in 2007 was impressive. Another wicket keeper for Cougars who excels in that department. Nominated for the Cougar to take most number of catches, some of them incredible. His bowling talents were also discovered in the 2008 season. With a nagging length and slower ones he got us some crucial breakthroughs. Saif regained his lost form with the bat in 2008 and the six that he hit against Strikers is still talked about “mostly by him” J .An excellent team player.His highest was 36 against spiders in 2009.
Venkat Bulusu: The quite one, but can be lethal. The best opener that Cougars had for a while. An all rounder, responds to the situation very effectively. His pace with the ball sometimes outdoes every other bowler in Cougars. Also, known as “safe hands”, seldom does he drop a catch. When the ball goes to his region, we know for sure that the wicket is taken. His contribution as an opener has been exceptional. Weather it is Cougars, DCFS CC or CF XI Venkat has rarely let us down as an opener. His contribution as a DCFS CC opener in 2006 is worth mentioning. He along with Vinay Asopa gave us some real good starts. His best innings I remember was when he opened with Sashi against Lansing
Vinay Kumar: Captain of the 2007 Cougars. One of the best players a team could have. I was impressed by his game right from the time he started his Cougars career. A classic and a texbook batsman. I am sure if Vinay had played the leather ball league, he would have been more effective. I was just hoping he doesn't get a chance, because we would have lost him for Cougars J .The one innings that stands fresh in my memory is his innings with DCFS Tigers in 2006. A classic six that innings in the midwicket region had me awed, because everything was so perfect about that shot. DCL boasts of some teams which has very good fast bowlers and Vinay is one player who loves playing against these teams. They bring out the best of him. With the enormous talent that he has Vinay should keep playing. I just wish I have a chance to play with him once again. One other observation I had of Vinay was, he excels in any sport he plays since he is more technically sound of that sport. Didn't play the 2009 season since he left for India.
Vinay Asopa: Joined Cougars along with Anand in 2006. Another batsman like Aravind MS or Vinay Kumar who is technically very sound of the game. Rarely goes across. During his short stay with Cougars, Vinay as an opener demonstrated tremendous grit and determination to play a long innings, and even without any slogging or flashy shots he makes a decent score and give us good starts. He plays fast bowling with ease and the one memorable innings was his partnership with Vinay kumar against Megabytes in 2006. It was a treat to watch both the Vinays bat that game, it was like both were competing against each other as to who was a better text book player than the other. Though it was for a losing cause, that match I will never forget because I got to see some quality cricket. Another innings wothy mentioning is the match against Vipers for the Chrysler tournament. DCFS CC got Vipers all out for 73 and batting second Vinay and Venkat showcased an opening partnership of 50 some runs in 8 overs. Also an useful bowler, his medium pacers have fetched quite some crucial breakthroughs in important matches.It is precision at its best, seldom bowls extras. Didn't get to play a lot after the finger injury followed by his marriage. Cougars missed him in the coming years.
Abhilash Nair: Has been with Cougars for quite a while and played some useful innings down the order. Cougars rely on him for some hard hitting and in a lot of occasions he has proved worthy for that role. A very useful bowler, he bowls a nagging length with a lot of variation. Also opened bowling for Daimler in their home tournament, from what I heard he intimidates Saif very much with his bowling and one too many times took his wicket :). A excellent team player Abhi doesn't hesitate to give suggestions for the betterment of the team. Didn't get to play a lot, but if did I am sure he would been one of those hard hitters who clears the boundry too often. His six against spiders this season was a proof to that, timed, well connected and from the middle of the bat. 
Murugan: What can I say about this guy? There's a saying - "Don't judge a book by its cover". This is pertinent to this fella. A silent dude who used to stand in the sidelines watching our matches last year (2008) - our DCL matches and the Daimler Chrysler tournaments. Towards the end of last season he helped us with his bowling during our practice sessions. Only then did we realise that we were missing a quality player who has a great passion for this game. In the lines of the Vinays, Aravind MS and Naggy, Murugan took not more than one game to establish his presence within the team. He has impressed one and all with his exceptional talent. The ONE guy who I enjoyed watching play in the 2009 season is this guy. His innings against Beavers, Lions, A2C2 and Strikers were a treat to Cougars. Every one enjoyed every bit of it. He paces his innings very carefully and the loose delivers are dealt severely with a 4 or 6 irrespective of the situation or bowlers. An allorounder, he is also a quality bowler who mixes his bowling quite a bit, and doesn’t hesitate to experiment.
Saran aka Saravanan: A fighter in a literal sense. Never say die attitide. Saran is one of those guys who doesn’t give up so easily. One of the major finds for Cougars this season who proved to be a great batsman for the middle order and an excellent wicket keeper. I met Saran in a badminton alley last winter. I told him about Cougars that time and since then till the season got over Saran was breathing only cricket and nothing else. He love for this game was so much that if there were tournaments played on all days he would play all of them. He just never had enough of cricket. Started the series with a bang and played a lot of useful knocks after that. He also plays the leather ball tournament on Sundays. One of those games caught my attention when Saran opened the innings with Vivek. That was when I got to see the talent of this guy and after that I had great confidence on him. His game against Strikers and A2C2 were THE best among a few, especially the Strikers ones where he along with Murugan made a hard fought 37. From behind the stumps he does more than keeping. He keeps track of the scores, encourages everyone on the field and sometimes goes in for a fight with the opponents J.
Sandeep: Joined Cougars in 2009. A middle order batsman and a part time bowler.Dind’t get to see much of his games, since he played less matches. Useful in the middle order to keep the score moving irespective of the situation. Connects the ball very well and give a tough time to the bowlers to get his wicket. Made some useful contributions against Brownstown, Lions and VisionPhoenix.
Yashasvi: Yash has been with Cougars right from 2005. Went back and forth in his Cougars cricketing career because of his other commitments. The 2009 season saw him more as a bowler than as a batsman. Didn’t play a lot of matches. He is one of thos players who can fit in any slot of the batting line up and used anytime in the bowling to get some breakthroughs. His strength with the bowling is his line. Never bowls a short delivery and its always wicket to wicket. Yashasvi’s company Saanvi tech was the official sponsor for Cougars in 2009. Sanchit: Joined in the latter half of the 2009 season. On of THE best fast bowlers of DCL not just Cougars. Generates excellent pace and line. Played just three matches but these matches speaks volumes of his talent with the ball. Batting, comes lower down the order andf goes for big hits no matter what, his best being the one with Greens. He has caught a lot of attention in DCL and next season, I am sure lot of teams will be looking for him.
Suraj Somasekar: Started in 2006 along with Naggy. Played just that season and it was a memorable one. An all rounder whose batting expressed a lot of aggression and bowling a lot of discipline. Couldn't continue after he moved out of Michigan in 2006.
Other notable Cougars who played in the past seasons :
Kiran Gowda
Kiran Manchegowda
Ravi
Sashidhar
Sriram
Vaibhav
Vishwesh
Other notable Cougars who played in the past seasons :
Ananthraman
Kalyan GaneshKiran Gowda
Kiran Manchegowda
Prakash Manapily
RavinderRavi
Sashidhar
Sriram
Vaibhav
Vishwesh
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