"None of the teams gave us a challenge": Ph1nnn on winning Skyesports Souvenir 2025 National Championship

The Skyesports Souvenir 2025 National Championship brought together some of India's best CS2 teams to compete for the national title. The event featured four teams and a prize pool of ₹500,000. With recognition as a Valve Ranked Event and support from Government of Karnataka, the tournament was a major milestone for the Indian esports scene.

In the grand finals, Gods Reign defeated Victores Sumus with a 2-0 scoreline. We got the opportunity to interview the MVP of the Skyesports Souvenir 2025 National Championship, Aakash "Ph1nnn" Bose.

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Ph1nnn opens up about the Grand Finals, Indian esports scene, and more

Q) Winning a national title is never easy. What do you think were the key factors that helped you and your team secure this victory?

Gods Reign wins Skyesports Souvenir 2025 National Championship (Image via Bengaluru GAFX)

Ph1nnn: I think one of the key factors that helped us win is the fact that not only were we better than them as a team but also individually we were far superior to the other players. We committed fewer mistakes and played a better game in comparison.

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Q) Preparation is a big part of success in esports. Can you share what your team’s training process was like leading up to this event?

Ph1nnn: We specifically didn't prepare for this particular event. In fact, we don’t prepare for any local events. Our goal is to win internationally, and we prepare our strategies for the same. We know if we do well internationally or at least perform at an average level, then we can win easily versus these local teams.

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Q) Throughout the tournament, which match or opponent posed the greatest challenge, and how did you navigate through it?

Ph1nnn: Honestly, I would say none of the teams gave us a challenge. They played to the level we expected. If you look at the overall tournament, I think Victores Sumus played a very good tournament. Coming runner-up is a huge achievement for them. Props to them on their good run. I hope they keep it up!

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Q) Map control and utility usage are crucial in CS2. Which map do you think your team performed best on during this tournament?

Ph1nnn: The maps that we picked in the veto against our opponents were our best maps, as we won all of them easily. On our opponents' pick, it was a bit messy and chaotic, but we just outplayed them individually. But as a team, we weren’t that good on their maps.

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Q) How do you see yourself competing on the international stage?

Ph1nnn at Skyesports Souvenir 2025 National Championship (Image via Bengaluru GAFX)

Ph1nnn: The level of CS we play isn't that good compared to top Asian teams. We would have to step our game up both individually and as a team in order to defeat the better teams. Currently, we are not good enough, and we will easily get destroyed by the top teams in Asia. I think with a lot of practice and hard work, we can bridge the gap between them and us.

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Q) The government of Karnataka has played a big role in making this event a reality. How important is it to have structured tournaments like this for the growth of CS2 in India?

Ph1nnn: Government support is really necessary for the growth of any sector in India. I am grateful to the Government of Karnataka for organizing such a wonderful event. I hope other states also come up with such events. Government support helps in creating awareness among people for our game. People acknowledge us and the game and get an idea about CS2 or esports in general, which is not very mainstream in India right now.

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Q) What advice would you give to young gamers who want to be a professional esports athlete in Counter-Strike or any other title in general?

Ph1nnn: Becoming a professional esports athlete in India is a very tough task. If a young gamer wants to be a professional athlete one day, then he/she should be ready to work hard and sacrifice a lot for years. Without working hard or sacrificing personal satisfaction for years, you won’t achieve your desired goals, be it in-game or in real life.

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Q) Your journey in the Counter-Strike scene has likely come with its share of struggles. What have been the biggest challenges in your career so far, and how did you overcome them?

Ph1nnn: I think the biggest struggle I had when I was an aspiring gamer was no parental support to play the game. It’s just like any other household in India. I never got appreciated for what I did. It was always wrong for them, no matter how good I did. But I knew if I had to achieve something or fulfill my dreams, then I would have to do it with or without their support. Now that I have achieved some of it, it feels good, but when I had nothing, it was very tough mentally. No one could see the efforts and dedication I put in.

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Q) Esports is growing rapidly in India, but international competition is still tough. What kind of support do you think Indian players need to compete at the highest level?

Ph1nnn: In my opinion, we need organizations that have a visionary mindset. We need organizations to invest long-term and do it in a systematic and proper way with proper management. Currently, there are no such organizations. In order to improve, we need the help of international coaches that can uplift our game and help us improve. Also, the players in our country need to work way harder because they are not good enough to compete on the international stage yet.

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Q) Many aspiring players look up to international teams like G2, NAVI, and Team Spirit. Are there any players or teams you personally admire and take inspiration from?

Ph1nnn: Earlier when I started playing CS:GO like 7-8 years ago, my favorite team at that time was Astralis. Right now, I don’t specifically have a “favorite team.” I just enjoy watching good Counter-Strike regardless of who plays. If a team plays good CS, I watch them. Apart from that, I am a huge fan of The Mongolz. I hope they do well and represent the spirit of Asian CS internationally. In terms of players, I love watching donk.