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The FIFA esports scene in India has grown significantly over the last 12 months. The inaugural edition of the eISL concluded a few days ago. Many relatively unknown players were given a platform to showcase their skills. However, there have been some Indian players who have been doing it for years now.
Saksham Rattan, aka "Sakky," is a FIFA pro from Pune. The 26-year-old has been grinding the game for as long as I can remember. Last year, he was drafted into Mumbai City FC's FIFA Global Series roster, alongside Siddh Chandarana.
In conversation with Sportskeeda Esports' Yasho Amonkar, Saksham sheds light on his FIFA journey so far, his thoughts on Mumbai City FC forming their esports team, and how he feels about representing such a massive ISL club.
"Major ISL clubs delving into esports will increase the quality of FIFA esports in India": Saksham Rattan
Q) You have been playing FIFA for a long time now. What are your thoughts on the evolution of Ultimate Team? Do you think it is heading in the right direction?
Saksham: I've played FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) since FIFA 12. That's when I started. Since then, it has changed a lot and moved in a positive direction. The content available on FUT has increased and improved drastically in recent years.
There are many ways now to make a virtual coin in the game. There are several game modes in the FUT section now and also fun objectives that help you win some cool rewards in the game.
Q) From participating in small tournaments in cafes to traveling to other countries to play a video game, you have seen it all. What are your views on how the competitive scene is growing in the country?
Saksham: I started off competing in Pune in small cafes. After being successful there, I decided to start traveling for different tournaments around the country. I have noticed that since the time I started, the level of competitiveness has increased drastically in the country.
Earlier, only the same crop of players would win all the tournaments, whereas now, many new players also come out and win. The prize pool for these competitions has also increased.
The facilities and infrastructure for esports players have also improved. For example, we saw the eISL bubble was in a 5-star hotel this time. These are some of the changes I have witnessed in recent years.
Q) It is hard to stay consistent in any field, let alone a video game that is just a part of your everyday life. How have you managed to be among the best players in India for such a long time?
Saksham: It's tough to be consistent in any field. However, there are so many ups and downs that it is particularly difficult in our domain. First and foremost, I believe that I am the best at what I am doing. I'm one of the very best FIFA players in India, and I want to be one of the best globally.
This pushes me to work harder every day. It is vital to continue to learn as well from humbling experiences. I try to practice by playing a lot in competitive environments. This means that even if I lose to someone who plays better than me, I learn from that.
I also prefer to do a lot of physical activities and play many sports whenever I can to stay alert and healthy. I also focus on eating clean and healthy food.
Q) Which football club do you support in real life? Did you get into FIFA because of your love for this club?
Saksham: I support Chelsea FC and Mumbai City FC in the ISL. I initially wanted to be a professional footballer, but I couldn't drop out of school to pursue that dream. I studied Civil Engineering in college, where I was also the captain of my university team.
The love for the game was always there for me, and FIFA was a mode through which I could get one step closer to football, and that's how my love for the game started. So my passion for football has definitely played a massive role in my life.
Q) When Mumbai City FC drafted you for this season’s FIFA Global Series, what was your reaction?
Saksham: I was thrilled when Mumbai City FC approached me to be one half of their FIFA esports roster. With the results I had last year, I was 3rd in India. Hence, I was confident that Mumbai City FC would approach me.
Upon joining Mumbai City FC, I was slightly nervous because they were recently crowned champions and became the first ISL team to have a FIFA roster. But overall, I was pretty happy to sign for Mumbai City FC.
Q) You have known Siddh Chandarana for quite a while now. How does it feel to team up with him and represent Mumbai City FC together?
Saksham: Siddh Chandarana and I started competitive FIFA around the same time. We even traveled to Mumbai and played in the final of a major competition, where I ended up winning on penalties.
We have kept in touch ever since. Whenever I travel to Mumbai, I stay at his house, and his family treats me like their own. I was elated when I found out that we'd pair up again for Mumbai City FC.
Siddh would have been my choice of partner, even if I could have selected someone from the Indian circuit. Hopefully, things will work out well for us this season and continue for many more seasons in the future.
Q) Mumbai City FC are such a big football club in India. What are your thoughts on ISL clubs like these stepping into the esports domain?
Saksham: Mumbai City FC being the reigning champions, it was incredible to see a club of this caliber step into esports. It was pretty rewarding because many other players would have been encouraged by this move. It was fascinating to be able to join up with them.
Hopefully, we will see many other such big organizations similarly delve into esports as well. It will also increase the quality of FIFA esports in India because playing for such a big club won't be easy, and we will have to step up to that level.
Q) You are currently joint-sixth on the FIFA Global Series 2022 leaderboard for the Asia South region. What have been your takeaways from the matches so far? How do you plan on moving up the rankings?
Saksham: The most important thing is putting in the hours to train. I train up to 8-10 hours daily. It has reduced a bit compared to previous years, but I consistently dedicate at least these many hours every day.
Q) Apart from you, four other Indians are a part of the top ten rankings in the regional leaderboard. How proud does it make you feel seeing so many players from the country?
Saksham: I'm incredibly proud to see four more Indian players in the top 10 of the FIFA Global Series rankings in the Asia South region. I'm not surprised to see these names because they have been the players who stood out for India last year.
Q) Mumbai City FC not only finished runners-up in the eISL but are also performing great in the FIFA Global Series, thanks to you and Siddh. How has the experience been to play for such a massive franchise?
Saksham: Mumbai City FC have a winning mentality. We have seen that on the pitch and are now seeing it on the esports front as well. Siddh and I have consistently delivered solid performances for Mumbai City FC in the FIFA Global Series.
It's an exciting feeling, and we're pretty proud of ourselves for being associated with a club of Mumbai City FC's stature. They have been super supportive of us and have even started giving us more exposure to extra content that helps us develop our game.
