'Maharaja Trophy being held before Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is great opportunity for youngsters'

Bengaluru, July 26

Chougule, who coaches the team along with Kunal Kapoor, credited a balanced build that addresses key roles across the park.

"We were very clear about having Shreyas Gopal as our captain. We've also brought in Sharad BR, a wicketkeeper-batter with IPL exposure and a solid body of first-class experience. We also have the experience of Ronit More," said the former India U19 and Karnataka player Deepak Chougule, according to KSCA press release.

Speaking on squad dynamics, he added, "Last year we were short of death bowling and finishers. This year, we have addressed those roles very clearly. We have a strong batting order, a good number of all-rounders, including bowling all-rounders like Kranthi Kumar, and a dependable finisher in Shivraj, who has consistently performed in the Maharaja Trophy."

He also highlighted the retention of a young core ahead of the auction, including Paras Gurbax Arya, Macneil Noronha, Abhilash Shetty and Lochan Gowda. "The Dragons have a culture of promoting youngsters, as we have seen in the TNPL as well. We have also added Adarsh Prajwal, who had a standout domestic season, and young pacer Aditya Nair, along with Abhishek Prabhakar, who is coming off a brilliant previous edition."

Beyond squad construction, Chougule, who also works as a coach with the Vidarbha Cricket Association and serves as a fielding coach at the NCA, emphasised the value of the Maharaja Trophy as a high-impact stage for players and coaches alike.

"You're playing at Chinnaswamy, there's live broadcast and the exposure is massive, especially for younger players trying to make a mark in state cricket. This is the level just before the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and how players respond under pressure, for example, up against a Mayank Agarwal or Prasidh Krishna. This really helps coaches evaluate them."

Chougule also noted how the tournament benefits emerging coaches. He opined, "We've got experienced coaches in the system, but for the younger ones, this is where you learn how to manage a team and balance high-profile players with youngsters. It comes down to man-management, and this is a great platform for that," he said.

The Mangaluru Dragons will take on Gulbarga Mystics on August 11 in the first game of the season.

Mangaluru Dragons Squad:

Paras Gurbax Arya (retained), Macneil Hadley Noronha (retained), Lochan S Gowda (retained), Abhilash Shetty (retained), Sharath BR, Ronit More, Shreyas Gopal, Melu Kranthi Kumar, Sachin Shinde, Aneesh KV, Thippa Reddy, Aaditya Nair, Aadarsh Prajwal, Abhishek Prabhakar, Shivaraj S, Pallav Kumar Das.

— ANI