India Gears Up for Inaugural Esports Nations Cup with New Coaching Team
India is preparing for the first-ever Esports Nations Cup, set to take place in Riyadh from November 2 to 29. The selection process has now begun, with a nine-member coaching team officially named to lead the country’s efforts in various popular games. This group is led by Moin Ejaz, a bronze medalist from the Commonwealth Games.
The coaches will be responsible for forming India’s teams across several game titles. Player trials are set to start soon, with the first squad deadline coming up on May 10.
Moin Ejaz will head the DOTA 2 division, bringing over ten years of competitive play to the table. In the Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) category, Rahul ‘Ayogi’ will take charge. Ayogi has recently enjoyed success with teams like Team SouL and Blind Esports, earning titles in various BGMI circuits over the past three years.
Abhishek Bajaj has been appointed as the coach for VALORANT. He has experience with teams such as Velocity and Reckoning. Pankaj Upadhyay will manage the League of Legends team. The coaching lineup also features Pratik Mehra (PUBG: Battlegrounds), Ashrit Goyal (Rainbow Six Siege), Nirjhar Mitra (Rocket League), and Gradyano Valendy from Indonesia, who will oversee Honor of Kings.
Steve Vitug, an international coach with a history in World Championships from Southeast Asia, will handle duties for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB).
NODWIN Gaming, which is India’s official National Team Partner for the event, is overseeing this coaching group. Their main tasks will include picking players, structuring teams, and getting the squads ready for international competition.
The Esports Nations Cup will feature a nation-based format with participation from over 100 countries and more than 700 coaches worldwide. For India, the immediate goal is to select strong teams quickly, as the qualifiers are on the horizon.
Players selected for the teams will likely be announced in mid-May, and there will also be open qualification opportunities for certain games.
