Looking back in awe at Sc0ut's PEC heroics; What's next for Fnatic?

Suffice to say that Fnatic, who won the PUBG Mobile All Stars Cup and then went on to register 8th spot in Peacekeeper Elite Championship, has at its disposal, all the ingredients for success. Fnatic, under coach Aurum, and leader Owais, is one of the best teams in India, with a proven track record of success. And in some of the architects of PMAS victory and PEC success, the team had elements of aggression that other Indian sides lacked.

However, Sc0ut is one whom his teammates look up to as he is one of the most dominant and talented players in the country right now. In trying to analyze what’s extraordinary about Sc0ut’s gameplay, one is forced to single out his confidence and ability to soak in pressure. The context, no matter how big it is, doesn’t faze him and he goes about his business in a manner he has mastered over the years.

Reliving Sc0ut's PEC heroics and learning from it:

For Sc0ut, it was a moment of reckoning. Fnatic, having been dominated in the day one of the tournament and staring at a bottom of the table finish, had all of a sudden given themselves a crack at redemption. The tournament might have been lost, but pride wasn’t. Credibility stood to be restored and, with it, a renewed sense of hope that this team is capable of doing well at the global stage as well - and consistently so.

At the start of the tournament, many had pegged it as a dead rubber. Many believed that like previous tournaments, Indian teams will be pulverized and will give in to the brilliance of the Chinese superstars. But this time there was Sc0utOP in the battlefield, a slightly unorthodox Indian player who believes in a no-holds-barred play style.

The Day 1 of the tournament saw Fnatic underperforming, which later Sc0ut lay down the blame for their passive mindset of approaching the game and playing overly safe. When the opening day ended, Fnatic knew their disease parts, now it was on them to cut it away and graft and come up with new plans. They had one day to make a shift in their strategies.

The next day, Owais handed over his generalship to Sc0ut. Although he wasn’t a method person but Sc0ut rallied troops outstandingly well and they followed him. Suddenly he was the cynosure of all eyes. Fnatic adopted an aggressive approach, which comes off as a great risk or reward, with Sc0ut spraying down his opponents in his radar and not shying away to put up a fight. In the process he got himself listed on the 8th spot in the overall kills leaderboard of Peacekeeper Elite Championship, something which he is very proud of.

You could see why Sc0ut came firing into Chinese domain. It is not always that those that give can take in equal measure and, by turning the heat on his opposition, Sc0ut wanted to see if the pressure got to them. Unsurprisingly, it did, but sadly it wasn’t enough to take them to top 5 as they dealt way too much damage in the initial games and were merely playing a catch-up. But now a seed was sown.

A good side finds the man for the moment; each believing that he can win a game rather than watch someone else does it, as happens in individual-dominated teams. Indeed, that is the strength of this side, with Owais, Ronak, Paritosh, and Ash collectively chipping in with match-winning performances every now and then. The addition of Ash to this side though remains the enigma, the perfect support player in Fnatic; the one who can give it the balance that would make it complete.

What's next for Fnatic & Sc0ut?

With Pro League closing in, Fnatic will have their work cut out. They didn’t have much success in the recently concluded PUBG Mobile Club Open India Finals, but they will have another shot at glory as they will taking part in PUBG Mobile Pro League.

One criticism Sc0ut has had to face when he began playing the game was that he attached too many sentiments and that took a toll on his decision-making abilities. Fortunately, ScoutOP is a quick learner. He matured as a player since then and is now more patient, respectful of the opposition, and has learned to ignore the hate comments. Subjected to constant taunts from the critics, Scout decided not to allow them to get in his way. ‘To deliver results is better than giving them back verbally,’ he said.

The second and relatively newer version of Sc0ut is, however, a little shrewder, but with the same amount of dedication and will power. He can either resemble a clown which he does sometimes, or he can seek to play the monk which will be disastrous. He needs to find the middle ground, someplace to channel his inherent aggression. He cannot lose it, but his aggression cannot lead him astray.

In the Pro League, Sc0ut knows he can’t afford to take a chance and will do all he can to make winning a habit and put out consistent performances. This is what matters to Sc0ut the most, and it is only a matter of time before his infectious enthusiasm bonds a team that has one motto and one dream - to rewrite history and win with aplomb. There is unfinished business no doubt, but there is also hope that it will soon be done, under Sc0ut.