"We have qualified for the COD Mobile World Championship 2022 and our goal is to bring the trophy home": Samruddha "SAMs" Ghadge of Team Vitality

The Grand Finals of the COD Mobile India Challenge Multiplayer Season 2 concluded just over a week ago, with Team Vitality being crowned the winner. They were followed by GodLike Esports and Enigma Gaming in the first and second runner-up positions, respectively.

Furthermore, Samruddha “SAMs” Ghadge from Team Vitality was awarded the MVP (Most Valued Player) award. In a conversation with Sportskeeda Esports’ Debolina Banerjee, SAMs talks about his journey in the world of competitive gaming, his COD Mobile India Challenge Multiplayer Season 2 experience, and more.

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SAMs' journey in the competitive world of COD Mobile

Q. Congratulations on winning and becoming the MVP of the COD Mobile India Challenge Multiplayer Season 2! Tell us more about your journey in the world of competitive gaming. What made you choose COD Mobile over other battle royale games in India?

SAMs: My journey in the competitive scene has been full of ups and downs. It was very hard for me to compete against the best teams as I started playing competitively very late compared to others, so when most of the teams and players were playing tournaments, I was trying to learn the game from scratch.

When I got my first ever device, I started playing some multiplayer games like Critical Ops and Standoff 2. So, it was obvious for me to choose COD Mobile over other battle royale games as it is mostly known for its Multiplayer mode.

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Q. You agreed that COD Mobile does not get as much attention as other battle royale mobile games like BGMI and Free Fire. What are some measures that can be taken to make the game more popularized?

SAMs: I don't think there are many content creators in COD Mobile who are making content for beginners and casual players. That could be the reason why the audience in this game is not growing. I also think that there should be more tournaments in the game so that it will attract more people to watch and encourage players to try to make a career in COD Mobile esports.

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Q. Since esports as a profession is still considered risky due to sudden bans imposed on random games by the government, do you feel at risk having chosen this career? How have your parents reacted to your decision?

SAMs: Yes, there is definitely a high risk in this field right now, especially after games like BGMI and Free Fire got delisted.

My parents are still not fully convinced that esports as a career is a good option, but they still believe in me and have given me time to prove it to them.

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Q. Tell us the story of how you joined Team Vitality. What are some lessons that you learned from your previous roster, Heroes Official?

SAMs: I made a team with a few friends, and we started playing T2 scrims together. We participated in the Loco India Cup 2021 under an organization called Heroes Official and managed to secure the third position at the event. Everyone was impressed with our team’s performance, but unfortunately, our team got disbanded after the tournament. Thankfully, my brother (Jokos) and I got invited to play for Team Vitality.

I learned from my previous roster that a team’s bond and synergy amongst each other plays an important role in their overall performance.

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Q. With whom is your synergy the best in Team Vitality? How much time do you and your team dedicate towards the game, especially when there is a tournament approaching?

SAMs: Jokos and I have a great synergy in the game as we are twin brothers and we have been playing together on the same team since the very start. When there is a tournament coming, we practice for almost six to seven hours every day. We also watch and analyze the games we lose, and read the statistics of other teams for one to two hours after practice.

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Q. You were awarded the MVP award in the COD Mobile India Challenge Multiplayer Season 2 and had a whooping 126 kills. What are your tips to improve one's kill count in COD Mobile? If not you, who would you have chosen to bestow the MVP award on?

SAMs: If you want to increase your kill count in COD Mobile, you need to improve your map and spawn knowledge so that you can predict where the enemy is coming from and can hold angles accordingly.

I would choose Jokos as the MVP, as he has played amazingly in all the Search and Destroy matches throughout the tournament.

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Q. Which team did you consider to be a tough opponent in the COD Mobile India Challenge Multiplayer Season 2 and why?

SAMs: Though we weren’t underestimating any team this Season, GodLike Esports was our toughest opponent in the COD Mobile India Challenge Multiplayer Season 2. We came in after losing to them in the World Championship Stage 4 finals, and we were expecting it to be a tough fight here as well.

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Q. Many esports athletes have a YouTube channel to have a prominent presence amongst gaming enthusiasts and to upload content of their choice. Do you have a YouTube channel or have you ever thought of launching one? How do you plan to expand it once you start uploading regular content?

SAMs: Yes, I have a YouTube channel named “Sams”, but I have not been consistent in terms of uploading content. My priority has always been to be competitive.

I am looking at uploading regular content up till World Championship Stage 5, as there are no major tournaments going on right now.

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Q. What’s next on your plate? Which upcoming COD Mobile tournaments are you thinking of participating in?

SAMs: We have qualified for the COD Mobile World Championship 2022 and are going to represent India on an international platform. So, me and my team are practicing very hard for it. Our goal is to bring that trophy home.

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Q. Finally, how is it playing with your twin brother on the same team? How is the gameplay dynamic between the two of you?

SAMs with his brother, Jokos (Image via Team Vitality)

SAMs: Playing with Jokos on the same team is like a dream come true. We have both been together since the start, and we understand each other very well. We both motivate each other to work hard and perform better. We also help each other by pointing out the mistakes that we make in scrims or tournaments.