'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Esports Federation of India (ESFI) recently announced the DOTA 2 players who will be representing the country at the 2022 Asian Games. Earlier in 2021, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) had officially confirmed that Esports will be a medal sport for the upcoming event.
ESFI's National Esports Championship 2022 saw a number of high-octane plays where the teams showed their skill and mettle. In the end, Team Whoops managed to secure a comfortable win over Team Avengers in the final with a 3-0 scoreline. It secured them a berth in the Indian contingent for the Asian Games.
Sportskeeda Esports' Angshuman Dutta had the good fortune to pick the brains of the man who will lead Team India DOTA 2 at the 2022 Asian Games, Moin Ejaz. He discussed the inclusion of Esports as a medal sport, the preparation for the event, and his love for the game.
Note: The text has been lightly edited for better readability.
Moin Ejaz, Team India DOTA 2 Captain, on representing the country at 2022 Asian Games
Q: How does it feel to have secured the opportunity to represent your country at the Asian Games 2022? How was the experience at the NESC ‘22 with a clean sweep in the Grand Finals?
Moin: It feels amazing to have secured a spot at the 2022 Asian Games, and we are honored to represent our country. All the hard work we put into our training has paid off in the NESC'22.
Q: What is your opinion on the inclusion of Esports at the upcoming Asiad? Do you think it will foster more competition on the international scene?
Moin: I feel that Esports getting added to the Asian games is a huge step towards the growth of the scene, and it will definitely encourage more people to get into esports.
Q: What role would you say ESFI has played in the growing competitive Esports scene in India?
Moin: ESFI has enabled India to compete with other nations on an equal level by supporting Indian players and creating awareness for multiple events like the Asian Games.
Q: Can you share your journey in DOTA 2 with us? When did you realize your love for the game?
Moin: I have been playing DOTA 2 for more than 8 years, and it has been a wonderful ride. I have loved playing DOTA 2 from the beginning. I realized that I wanted to pursue gaming as a career when I was 4 years into playing the game.
Q: As one of the veteran Indian players of DOTA 2 and someone with a wealth of experience, what advice will you give to someone who is looking to get into the scene?
Moin: I think hard work, commitment, and a 'never give up' attitude will help you reach your goals in the esports scene.
Q: Titles like PUBG and Free Fire have gotten extreme popularity among the masses. How has the competitive scene been in India for DOTA 2? How do you think the DOTA 2 community can be grown further in the subcontinent?
Moin: DOTA 2 has recently seen a downfall in the overall number of players and tournaments in India. I think a big event like the 2022 Asian Games was something the community desperately needed to bring back the glory days of DOTA 2 in our region.
Q: Patch 7.31 came after a long wait with players clamouring for it for over a month. What are your opinion on the patch and the changes it brought to the game? Did you expect anything more from it?
Moin: I love the new neutral creep change as it makes it a little harder to clear out the neutral camps. I also like the new hero, Primal Beast, as it has helped me gain a lot of MMR. I was expecting some more objectives to be added to the game, something like another Roshan, which would have made the game even more interesting.
Q: To conclude, how are you all going to prepare for the Asian Games and what is your aim for the prestigious tournament?
Moin: We have already started training and are looking forward to giving our best at the 2022 Asian games.
