Interesting storylines, shocking results, momentous comebacks, unprecedented scorelines – ESPL Valorant PowerUp India had it all. The Qualifiers pit the best teams in India against each other to find the top sixteen and the subsequent cream of the crop battled it out for the mega prize of 400,000 INR. Global Esports did come out on top, with a 3-1 series win over Team Mahi, ending their dominant streak of tournament wins. But, there was much more to take away from the entire event. Let us take a look at some of them.
Find of the Tournament (Team) – Tempest
Not much was known about Team Tempest before ESPL. Their owner and CEO was very vocal of the promise the roster held. And at ESPL, the players just burst through their previous ceiling, producing some exhilarating plays for the viewers.
Notching up a top four finish and a 75,000 INR purse at ESPL was by all means a victory for Tempest, who showed they have the mantle to take on the very best the Indian scene has to offer. Their win over Reckoning Esports was as much a shock for the RGE players as it was for the audience.
However, what baffled us was the versatility each player showed during their semi-final run. Tempest continued to mix and master different combinations on different maps, with players even exchanging roles among themselves with some unnerving and unsettling ease. The variance in terms of agent picks and roles though, matched success as well, which is something even the best teams in India currently, Global Esports and Team Mahi, would struggle to achieve.
The statistics make their semi-final run look even more astonishing, with the team not even in the top 10 in terms of the average of the Average Combat Score achieved by the team at ESPL. This proves Tempest is a collective and does not rely on individual firepower, although they seem to have it in abundance and at their beck-and-call. Onwards and upwards, we guess, for the roster and it will be intriguing to see if they can match their level of performances once the Indian region moves towards a LAN environment.
Find of the Tournament (Player) – Kohliii (Team Fangs)
Fangs may have bowed out of the ESPL Valorant PowerUp India event in the Group Stage itself. But, Kohliii managed to make his mark in that short burst. Not only did he end up having the 3rd best Rating at the event as per The Spike, but he did so while mostly playing as a Sentinel with Killjoy. There were other notable surprises like Drixot from Tempest and Pixelzz from INGLU.XFT, who aided their team’s performances brilliantly on an individual level.
Player of the Tournament – SkRossi (Global Esports)
There is no looking past the mercurial Jett that arrived like a BL4ZE and has been leaving trails of his glory in Valorant ever since. Individually, SkRossi deservedly is right up there with the best of the best Duelists in the South Asian region. But, the fact that Global Esports tactfully enable him propels him further into the limelight as an undeniable presence on the servers. A
veraging an ACS of 289 throughout ESPL Valorant PowerUp India is no small feat but to do that in the Grand Finals as well, against a formidable Team Mahi is worthy of praise. Just to highlight his performance in the Grand Finals, SkRossi averaged an ACS of 318 and ended the Grand Finals with a positive K/D of 38, with 83 kills to his name.
However, when it comes to naming pure carries in Valorant, DeathMaker reserves a special mention, especially at ESPL Valorant PowerUp India. While SkRossi managed an ACS of 289 throughout the event, DeathMaker was the only one to breach the 300 mark in terms of average ACS during the event, with the pride of the Northeast boasting an average ACS of 306.
Duelists aren’t the only catalysts for teams though, which makes the mention of LightningFast that much important. Another player from the Northeast, the Sentinel came in clutch in important rounds and was consistently influential for Global Esports, with his precise aim and reads.
Moment of the Tournament – Team Mahi winning Bind after losing 13-0 on Haven in the Grand Finals
People in esports and sports, in general, always talk about mentality and how winners are built different. Team Mahi may have ended up on the losing side of things. But, their comeback in the Grand Finals showed that they are mentality monsters.
It is difficult to pick yourselves up after an excruciating loss. But, to lose 13-0 to your archrivals in the first map of the Grand Finals in what is supposed to be your revenge arc for the defeats handed to them at the TEC Invitational, is potentially damage beyond repair.
Not for Team Mahi though. The break offered them a reset and they grabbed it with both hands, brushing their memories of the 13-0 aside, with the result only lighting a fire under their belly that saw them breathe fire on a dusty Bind. Although, they ended up losing the series 3-1, their win on Bind proves Team Mahi is capable of bouncing back and chances are they will, stronger than before.
ESPL Valorant PowerUp India drew curtains with Global Esports winning the event and a 400,000 purse. But, the success of the event tells us there is lots more in store for us in the near future. If you think you have what it takes to taste glory at ESPL, you can register in their tournaments here.
