Top 10 Indian Dota Players of 2019

After a trailblazing growth over the past few years, Indian Dota 2 is finally beginning to show signs of decline over the past few months. Online Viewership, LAN attendance and the number of sponsored Dota 2 teams have all dropped considerably, this year.

As is the case globally, not many new faces have popped up in the Dota 2 scene. The creme of the crop - continued to maintain their dominance at the top of the Indian Dota 2 scene, claiming multiple LAN trophies and even representing the Indian region in International LANs like ESL One Mumbai 2019 and the Predator League 2019.

Here’s our ranking of the best Indian Dota 2 players of 2018.

(See Also: Ranking the top 10 Indian Dota 2 Players of 2018)

10. Amit 'Zapheto' Malwal

Perhaps one of the most developed players of 2019, Zapheto kicked off the year with some stellar performances, peaking with Entity Gaming’s massive victory at the ESL India Premiership 2019 - Summer Season against all odds.

Although he showed some promise in the tournaments following that win, roster changes for Entity Gaming left him without a concrete 5-man lineup, which has been detrimental to the player’s progress.

It’ll be interesting to see whether he’ll recover in 2020.

Notable Victories:

• ESL India Premiership 2019 Summer Season

9. Roberto 'Parasyte' Nembhwani

Yet another breakout support, Parasyte came into 2019 with a rampant LXG lineup which looked like it could be genuine contenders in every single Indian LAN championship they entered.

Unfortunately, the team imploded, which left the player hopping from one team to another to try and carve a place for himself in the Indian Dota 2 landscape. He finally joined Whoops! and formed one of the most fearsome support duos in the country alongside No_Chanc3 and secured his biggest LAN win yet, at the Dew Arena 2019.

He was also able to secure a place at the WESG 2019: APAC Finals by winning the South Asian finals. He will be kicking off 2020, representing the country at an international LAN. Not a bad start to the decade.

Notable Victories: 

• Dew Arena 2019
• WESG 2019: South Asian Finals

8. Darshan 'A35' Bata

India’s stalwart offlaner finally shifted his role by the end of 2018, starting the year by playing support and expanding his horizons. This shift brought him a multitude of titles and allowed him to better his performance from the previous year. 

He played a crucial role in leading Global esports to victories at the Taiwan Excellence Cup 2019 and the ESL India Premiership 2019 - Fall Season.

Notable Victories:

• Taiwan Excellence Cup 2019
• ESL India Premiership 2019 - Fall Season.

7. Krish ‘Moon’ Gupta

Once again Moon has showcased that he is indeed the wonder kid of Indian Dota and that he possesses a lot of potential. His title-winning performance at ESL India Premiership 2019 - Summer Season proved that he has indeed come a long way in the past year.

He has evolved his style of play, which used to be very farm heavy into what can only be called controlled aggression which devastates his opponents. His performances in the middle lane were a big reason for Entity Gaming’s success this year, and in a year full of great mid players, he stands out.

Notable Victories:

• ESL India Premiership 2019 - Summer Season.

6. Akshay ‘ZxC’ Dhodi

After his departure from ROG Titans, ZxC has come right back into the pinnacle of Indian Dota 2. His rapid rise to the top under the leadership of No_Chanc3 has been very impressive.

The player also looks like he has adapted to become a much more conservative player, reigning in his unrelenting, reckless aggressiveness and evolving into a reliable carry. This has allowed him to emerge victorious in multiple events and has even lead to an opportunity to represent the country at the WESG 2019: APAC Finals.

Notable Victories:

• Dew Arena 2019
• WESG 2019: South Asian Finals

5. Raunak ‘Crowley’ Sen

Unfortunately, last year’s number 1 pick just didn’t live up to the lofty expectations he set for fans, this year. Although he has maintained a steady flow of LAN triumphs, he hasn’t really proven to be exceptional.

His gameplay has once again become flashy with adrenaline-packed moves ever so often. But the player also nurtures his team by creating space and providing them with a path to victory. The player’s performances are still amongst the best in the country and lead him to multiple LAN titles this year.

Notable Victories: 

• ESL India Premiership 2018 Winter Season
• ESL India Premiership 2019 Fall Season
• Taiwan Excellence Gaming Cup 2019

4. Dhvanit “Negi” Negi

Undoubtedly, India’s most versatile player, Negi has had a heck of a year. He has won multiple LANs, first in the offlane role with Signify, then in the mid lane with Whoops! And finally, in the 5-position role with Global Esports.

It is a testament to his strength and versatility as a player and his tenacity to always mould himself into someone who can fit/better any team. He is the most accomplished Indian player of 2019.

Notable Victories:

• Dew Arena 2019
• ESL India Premiership 2019 Fall Season
• ESL India Premiership 2018 Winter Season
• WESG 2019 - South Asia Finals
  
  

3. Jeet ‘Swifty’ Kundra

Any team that tends to dominate the Indian Dota 2 scene has Swifty at its helm. He has been a dominant player in the mid lane ever since he made his presence known in the Indian Scene. Although he didn’t achieve the level of dominance that he was able to exert in 2018, he still had a relatively good year.

His hero pool is incredibly deep, and there's arguably nobody really better than him in the mid lane in India. With the decline in the number of Indian Dota 2 teams, he will be aiming to showcase his talents in the SEA region in 2020. Can he pull through in the clutch?

Notable Victories: 

• ESL India Premiership 2018 Winter Season
• ESL India Premiership 2019 Fall Season
• Taiwan Excellence Gaming Cup 2019

2. Balaji “BlizzarD” Ramnarayan

Once again, coming in at number two is BlizzarD, who has had a heck of a year, with multiple LAN titles and standout performances. His individual skill is definitely undeniable, considering the fact that he is the highest-ranked India player in the support role and the second highest in the carry role.

Known for his insane mechanical skill and uncanny game sense, BlizzarD is also one of the flashiest carries in the country which allows him to dominate lanes and set a clear course to victory. 

Perhaps it is this that has lead to him claiming multiple titles over the course of 2019.

Notable Victories: 

• ESL India Premiership 2018 Winter Season
• ESL India Premiership 2019 Fall Season
• Taiwan Excellence Gaming Cup 2019

1. Moin “No_Chanc3” Ejaz

Perhaps the greatest and most crafty mind in Indian Dota 2, No_Chanc3 is finally back to his best after parting with BlizzarD, Swifty and Co. 

He showed numerous mindblowing plays over the year on his 3-position role. Although the way he plays isn’t normally known for being flashy for the casual fan, the intricate way in which he dictates the tempo of the game is extremely gratifying to the attentive spectator.

He is still way up there with the very best, in the SEA leaderboards, has won multiple LAN tournaments in 2019 and has even secured a place in the WESG 2019: APAC Finals which gives him an opportunity represent the country.

Notable Victories: 

• WESG 2019 South Asia Finals
• Dew Arena 2019
• ESL India Premiership 2018 Winter