India’s League of Legends team for Asian Games 2023 - the six on the cusp of esports history

After appearing as a demonstration sport at Jakarta 2018, esports is all set to make its debut as a medal sport in the continental showpiece at the Asian Games 2023, which will be held in Hangzhou, the People’s Republic of China, from September 23 to October 8.

Esports’ historic entry into the Asian Games programme will be through seven gaming titles - League of Legends (LoL), FIFA Online 4 (made by EA Sports), PUBG Mobile and Arena of Valor (Asian Games versions), Dota 2, Dream Three Kingdoms 2 and Street Fighter V: Champion Edition.

India, however, will compete in four of these events, namely Dota 2, FIFA Online 4, League of Legends and Street Fighter V: Champion Edition.

League of Legends, one of the most popular 5vs5 multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video games in the world, will be one of the star attractions in the esports programme at Hangzhou.

The top 19 League of Legends teams from the continent will be vying for medals at the 2023 Asian Games. All matches till the final will be played in a best-of-three format while the gold and bronze medal matches will be contested in a best-of-five format.

A six-member Indian LoL team, captained by Akshaj Shenoy (Kai), will lead India’s medal charge at Hangzhou. Samarth Arvind Trivedi (CrankO), Mihir Ranjan (Lotus), Sanindhya Malik (Deadcorp), Aakash Shandilya (Infi) and Aditya Selvaraj (Krow) are the other five members of the team.

The six gamers qualified for the Asian Games 2023 by winning the National Esports Championships (NESC) organised by the Esports Federation of India (ESFI). The sextet followed up with an unbeaten run at the League of Legends seeding event for South Asian countries in Macau, ensuring a favourable seeding for Team India at the main event in Hangzhou.

The team’s success came despite the absence of any official LoL servers in India. Here are brief profiles of India’s League of Legends players for Asian Games 2023.

Indian League of Legends team for Asian Games 2023

Akshaj Shenoy aka Kai (captain)

Akshaj Shenoy, who goes by the in-game name Kai, will captain the Indian League of Legends team at the 2023 Asian Games. With his strategic mindset and exceptional gameplay skills, the 21-year-old from Bangalore has become a driving force behind the team's success. Kai's leadership qualities and ability to make quick, decisive decisions make him an invaluable asset to the team. He is currently ranked No. 1 in South Asia.

Shenoy excels in academics; he scored 95 percent in his 12th board exams in 2020. He intends to pursue an MBA in HR management while being a professional gamer. Akshaj Shenoy’s mother is an online yoga instructor while his father manages a business.

Achievements

• 1st in ESFI RDAG NESC'22 LoL Qualifiers (April 2022)
• 1st in SMG x LXG League of Legends Cup (May 2023)
• 1st AMD Skyesports PRO League (March 2022)
• 1st WD Black CUP Season 2 Skyesports (January 2022)
• 1st SMG Summer Cup Season 1 (April 2023)
• 1st TEC South Asia Championship League (July 2020)
• 1st Asus ROG LoL Showdown 2 (May 2020)
• 1st Asus ROG LoL Showdown (August 2020)
• 1st SMG South Asian Championship (May 2020)
• 1st LXG League of Legends LAN Cup (May 2023)
• 3rd TEC South Asia Championship League Season 2 (August 2020)
• 3rd TEC South Asia Championship League Season 3 (May 2020)
• 3rd Lenovo Rise of Legion LOL Cup (October 2019)
• 3rd South Asia Champions Cup (May 2019)

Aditya Selvaraj aka Krow

What started as a mere hobby quickly transformed into a relentless pursuit of passion for Aditya Selvaraj.

Known by his in-game name Krow for the past decade, the 28-year-old has made the League of Legends battlefield his own and earned several laurels with his strategic brilliance as a flexible player in the game.

Based out of Bangalore, Aditya works in game development and has worked at companies such as Electronic Arts and Zynga. He is currently employed with Bombay Play - a gaming start-up.

Aditya Selvaraj believes that competing as an esports athlete for a decade helped him develop valuable skills such as teamwork, communication, and discipline.

Climbing to the rank of Masters in both League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics, Aditya’s tactical skills have seen him secure the top six rank in South Asia

In a string of high-profile tournaments, he claimed victories in the AMD Skyesports PRO League, WD Black CUP Season 2, TEC South Asia Championship League, Asus ROG LoL Showdowns and SMG South Asian Championship by showcasing his mastery over the top lane.

Apart from his accolades as a player, Aditya has also mentored players internationally.

Achievements

• 1st in NESC RDAG Asian Games League of Legends Qualifiers (April 2022)
• 1st in AMD Skyesports PRO League (March 2022)
• 1st in WD Black CUP Season 2 Skyesports (January 2022)
• 1st in TEC South Asia Championship League (July 2020)
• 1st in Asus ROG LoL Showdown 2 (May 2020)
• 1st in Asus ROG LoL Showdown (August 2020)
• 1st in SMG South Asian Championship (May 2020)
• 3rd in TEC South Asia Championship League Season 2 (August 2020)
• 3rd in TEC South Asia Championship League Season 3 (May 2020)
• 3rd in Rise of Legion LOL Cup (October 2019)
• 3rd in South Asia Champions Cup(May 2019)

Aakash Shandilya aka Infi

Known as Infi, Akash Shandilya hails from Greater Noida. At the age of 21, Aakash has already become a prominent figure in the Indian League of Legends esports scene.

Having set the stage for victory on numerous occasions with his role as Jungler in the game, Aakash is no stranger to success.

From the AMD Skyesports PRO League and TEC South Asia Championship League to the Asus ROG LoL Showdown and the WD Black CUP Season 2, he has consistently performed in Indian tournaments.

Aakash Shandilya’s passion for esports has not kept him limited to just League of Legends. He excels in Valorant as well. Victories in the AIU Valorant Esports Championship and ESI Valorant National eSports Championship serve as a testament to his versatility and adaptability in different games.

With a Grandmaster rank and an impressive individual Asian ranking of 87 at his peak, Aakash is one of the rising stars in the Indian League of Legends landscape.

Achievements

• 1st in AMD Skyesports PRO League (March 2022)
• 1st in WD Black CUP Season 2 Skyesports (January 2022)
• 1st in ASUS Rog LOL Showdown
• 1st in TEC South Asia Champions League
• 1st in ASUS Rog Battleground LOL Championship
• 2nd in ASUS Rog Championship LOL
• 1st runner-Up in AIU (All India University) Valorant eSports Championship 2022
• 1st runner-Up in ESI Valorant National eSports Championship (inter-university) 2022

Mihir Ranjan aka Lotus

Hailing from Delhi, Mihir Ranjan is a well-known name in the Indian League of Legends community. He is the only South Asian player in the Attack Damage Carry (ADC) role to reach the Grandmaster tier in-game.

The 21-year-old, known by his in-game name Lotus, has been making waves in competitive gaming individually as well as with his squad.

In Dreamhack 2019, Mihir Ranjan showcased his prowess in the titles Hearthstone Battlegrounds and Rainbow Six Siege, securing second place in the former and winning the latter.

When it comes to League of Legends, he has triumphed in the AMD Skyesports Pro League of Legends and the ASUS ROG LoL Showdown in back-to-back years.

Mihir’s exceptional talents have not only propelled him to an impressive individual ranking of 37 in the fiercely contested South East Asia region but also garnered multiple first-place finishes in tournaments open to South Asian countries.

Achievements

• 1st in AMD Skyesports Pro League of Legends, Mar 2022 (South Asia Region)
• 1st in ASUS ROG LoL Showdown, Mar 2021 (South Asia Region)
• 1st in ASUS ROG LoL Showdown, Nov 2020 (South Asia Region)
• 2nd in Dreamhack 2019, Day 2 Hearthstone Battlegrounds
• 2nd in Dreamhack 2019, Day 2 Rainbow Six Siege
• 1st in Dreamhack 2019, Day 3 Rainbow Six Siege
• Multiple first-place finishes in tournaments open to South Asia region countries over the span of two years
• Only ADC in South Asia Region to hit Grandmaster rank

Sanindhya Malik aka Deadcorp

Delhi’s Sanindhya Malik, 21, stands as the highest-ranked South Asian player in League of Legends.

Sanindhya boasts a long list of achievements in Indian tournaments like the AMD Skyesports PRO League, WD Black CUP Season 2 Skyesports and two editions of the Asus ROG LoL Showdown 2 proving his calibre as one of the top Indian esports athletes.

Apart from this, he has made his presence felt in international tournaments including SMG South Asian Championship, TEC South Asia Championship League Season 2, TEC South Asia Championship League Season 3 and the TEC South Asia Championship League.

Outside the virtual world, Sanindhy Malik, known by his in-game name Deadcorp, leads a quiet, normal life.

Achievements

• 1st in AMD Skyesports PRO League (March 2022)
• 1st in WD Black CUP Season 2 Skyesports (January 2022)
• 1st in TEC South Asia Championship League (July 2020)
• 1st in Asus ROG LoL Showdown 2 (May 2020)
• 1st in Asus ROG LoL Showdown (August 2020)
• 1st in SMG South Asian Championship (May 2020)
• 3rd in TEC South Asia Championship League Season 2 (August 2020)
• 1st TEC South Asia Championship League Season 3 (May 2020)
• 1st in Indian Gaming League (December 2020)
• 1st in Rise of Legion LOL Cup (October 2019)
• 1st LoL India Champions Cup (July 2018)

Samarth Trivedi aka CrankO

Pursuing his dreams and love for League of Legends even at the age of 31, Samarth Trivedi, a native of Thane in Maharashtra, is the senior-most member of the Indian Asian Games 2023 League of Legends team.

While Samarth, also known as CrankO, excels as an individual player, his true strength lies in his ability to synergize with a team

As a support player, Samarth Trivedi selflessly devotes himself to his team's success, providing tactical assistance and strategic guidance.

In various international championships, Samarth has left his mark with a notable collection of medals and accolades. His impressive track record includes a 2nd place finish in SLS 2017, a triumphant 1st place in the LoL India Champions Cup, a notable second place in the IGE South Asia Cup and a second place in the regional Asian Games of 2018. Additionally, he emerged as the winner in the Pro ILG LCL and ICGC 2018.

Achievements

• 2nd in SLS 2017
• 1st in LOL India Champions Cup
• 2nd in IGE South Asia Cup
• 2nd place in Asian Games 2018 (regional)
• 1st place in Pro ILG LCL and ICGC 2018
• 3rd place in South Asia Champions Cup Season 2
• 2nd in ROG League of Legends championship
• 1st in SMG tournament
• 1st in Asus Rog LoL Showdown 2
• 1st in Asus Rog LoL Showdown
• 1st in South Asia Championship Season 1
• 1st in AMD Skyesports PRO League (March 2022)
• 1st in WD Black CUP Season 2 Skyesports (January 2022)
• 1st in TEC South Asia Championship League (July 2020)
• 1st in Asus ROG LoL Showdown 2 (May 2020)
• 1st in Asus ROG LoL Showdown (August 2020)
• 1st in SMG South Asian Championship (May 2020)
• 3rd in TEC South Asia Championship League Season 2 (August 2020)
• 1st in TEC South Asia Championship League Season 3 (May 2020)
• 1st in LoL India Champions Cup (July 2018)