Cover-Credits:
AFK Gaming
Although Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) has been blocked by the Indian government for quite some time in 2022 under Section 69A of the IT Act 2000, we still got to see plenty of esports players perform at the highest levels before it was enacted. We saw several young guns rise to prominence, going toe-to-toe against several of the grizzled veterans in the scene. The veterans too held their own and proved that they still had what it takes to compete at the highest levels.
Amongst all these BGMI players there were ten that stood out. Here are our top ten picks for the best BGMI players that we’ve rated based on individual performances as well as their team impact in 2022. While we’ve tried to incorporate stats to make our picks, the list is still largely subjective. So feel free to comment and flame us if you disagree with our list. :)
The Best BGMI Players in India in 2022
10. Sc0utOP
Tanmay "Sc0utOP" Singh is a seasoned veteran in the BGMI (previously PUBG Mobile) esports scene having it in 2018 when PUBG Mobile was introduced in India. But he continues to grind and perform at the highest level. Even after taking a year off due to PUBG Mobile's ban, Sc0utOP did not give up on his esports career in 2022 and has continued to thrive in a competitive atmosphere.
He immediately began practicing for BGMI when the game was released and played in four official domestic tournaments with TeamXSpark in 2022. Sc0utOP also represented India at the PUBG Mobile World Invitational 2022: Afterparty Showdown, where the team placed 9th in the squad tournament and 7th in the duo tournament. Although Sc0utOP demonstrated incredible performances in multiple tournaments, his team failed to acquire the top spots in the main events.
According to Esports Earnings, Sc0utOP is estimated to have earned around $24,966.30 from BGMI tournaments in 2022.
9. ClutchGod
Vivek "ClutchGod" Horo began the year with the Battlegrounds Mobile India Series, where he had a standout performance and finished in fourth place. He then represented India in the PUBG Mobile Global Championship: Grand Finals, where GodLike Esports was the only Indian team. Although they finished in 13th place, ClutchGod displayed excellent gameplay and was a standout performer. He also performed well in the BGMI Masters Series, earning a second-place finish.
ClutchGod has consistently been one of the best BGMI players in India since the PUBG Mobile India Tour 2019, where he demolished established superstar teams and claimed the first-place finish. So it is not really surprising to see him continue to dominate through 2022 with GodLike Esports. In 2022 alone, ClutchGod is estimated to have earned $17,320 through BGMI esports.
8. Neyoo
Suraj Nityanand "Neyoo" Majumdar started his year by winning the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the Battlegrounds Mobile India Series, even though GodLike Esports finished in the fourth position. The team was granted a slot in the PUBG Mobile Global Championship: Grand Finals, where it secured the 13th place finish despite not competing in international tournaments for well over a year. Following this, he demonstrated an outstanding performance at the BGMI Masters Series, where GodLike Esports secured a runner-up finish.
After showing an impressive performance over the last couple of years, Neyoo has maintained his consistency in 2022 as well. Neyoo played a crucial role in GodLike Esports’ success throughout the year.
According to Esports Earnings, Neyoo is estimated to have earned $18,664 in 2022.
7. SHADOW
Arjun "SHADOW" Mandhalkar, a former in-game leader (IGL) for TSM India, made a controversial transfer to GodLike Esports earlier this year. Despite having a consistent track record of success, SHADOW gained widespread recognition after joining TSM India and winning numerous titles. He has consistently demonstrated impressive performances throughout the year.
SHADOW began the year with the Battlegrounds Mobile India Series 2021, where he represented TSM India and earned a second-place finish. He continued to perform well with the team before moving to GodLike Esports. Although he did not have much time to play with his new team, he still managed to secure a second-place finish in the BGMI Masters Series.
According to Esports Earnings, SHADOW has been estimated to have made approximately $24,966.30 USD in 2022 alone.
6. Omega
Sahil “Omega” Jakhar is the mastermind behind Team SouL. He joined Team SouL as the IGL of the team earlier this year and led them to various successes in multiple tournaments with expert shotcalling and great execution.
Omega’s first official tournament in Team Soul as an IGL was the Battlegrounds Mobile India Open Challenge 2022: The Grind. It led the team and secured the second position on the leaderboard. Following this, he led Team SouL to victory in the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series - Season 1 with a considerable margin. He also demonstrated a commendable performance in the BGMI Masters Series and Battlegrounds Mobile India Showdown 2022, where Team SouL finished in the 6th and 7th positions, respectively. In his first global tournament, PUBG Mobile World Invitational 2022, he led the team and finished in the 11th position even after one year of break from global competition. In 2022, it is estimated that Omega earned $34,432 through BGMI in winnings.
5. AkshaT
After performing well with 8bit and Chemin Esports for a few months after the launch of BGMI, Akshat "AkshaT" Goel joined Team SouL earlier this year and has since become one of the strongest players in the country.
In his first official tournament with Team SouL, the Battlegrounds Mobile India Open Challenge 2022: The Grind, he had an impressive showing and led his team to a second-place finish. This led Team SouL to qualify for and win the prestigious Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series - Season 1, where AkshaT ended up winning an award as well. AkshaT also represented India with Team SouL in the PUBG Mobile World Invitational 2022, finishing in 11th place.
In 2022, AkshaT is estimated to have earned $35,712 via esports winnings, according to Esports Earnings.
4. Hector
Sohail "Hector" Shaikh gained widespread recognition after he was signed to Team SouL in March 2022. Before joining Team SouL, Hector played for Entity Gaming for three months but was not well-known in the community and was largely overshadowed by other Entity stars. Since joining Team SouL, Hector has consistently shown strong performances and has laid a claim to being one of the best in the business.
Prior to Hector joining the team, Team SouL had mediocre results, struggling in the LOCO Diwali Battle: Grand Finals and the WD Black Cup: Season 2. However, Hector's addition significantly improved the team's performance and immediately skyrocketed the team into becoming one of the favorites at every event the team competed in.
With Hector on the roster, Team SouL won the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series - Season 1, where he played a pivotal role in the team. He also had standout performances at the BGMI Masters Series, winning three accolades for himself, and allowed SouL to finished in 6th place. Following this, he played Battlegrounds Mobile India Showdown 2022, where his team finished in the 7th position. Hector also represented India with Team SouL at the PUBG Mobile World Invitational 2022 (PMWI 2022), finishing in 11th place. He was the only Indian player to win an accolade at the prestigious stage of PMWI 2022.
In 2022, Hector is estimated to have earned $39,054.95 through BGMI esports.
3. Saumraj
Saumya “Saumraj” Raj performed well above expectations in 2022, along with his team Skylightz Gaming. Throughout the year, Saumraj has shown a consistent performance and managed to secure the top spots on the leaderboard for his team.
Saumraj had a great start in 2022 by winning the Battlegrounds Mobile India Series 2021, where he won two accolades for himself. Following this, he was loaned to GodLike Esports for the PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2021: Grand Finals, where it finished in the 13th position. He demonstrated a commendable performance in the BGMI Masters Series and the Battlegrounds Mobile India Showdown 2022 as well, where he finished in 5th and 4th position, respectively. Although Saumraj performed well throughout the year, he failed to win MVP awards for himself. Furthermore, he was also awarded the ‘The Esports Athlete Of The Year’ award at the Loco India Gaming Awards.
According to esports earnings, Saumraj is estimated to have earned $23,038 through BGM tournaments.
2. Goblin
Harsh “Goblin” Paudwal is arguably the most promising player and consistent player in India. In 2022, he rose from being an underdog player to one of the finest players in India over the span of a few months. After joining Team SouL in January 2022, Goblin quickly rose to prominence and proved himself as one of the finest BGMI players in India.
Goblin demonstrated an amazing performance at the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series - Season 1, leading Team SouL to victory. He was awarded the MVP award for the tournament and also received five other accolades in the same tournament. Following this, he also showed an incredible performance at the BGMI Masters Series, where he won two accolades for himself, and Team SouL finished at the 6th place. He also had a standout performance at the Battlegrounds Mobile India Showdown 2022, where Team SouL finished at the 7th place.
Although he only had one major win in 2022, it is estimated that Goblin earned $40,819.20 in 2022 according to Esports Earnings, making him the most successful competitive esports player in India over 2022. He also won the best esports player of the year award at the Gem Awards 2022 and was acknowledged by many including ScoutOP as the best player in the country.
Harsh “Goblin” Paudwal
1. JONATHAN
Jonathan ”JONATHAN” Amaral needs no introduction. He has been at the pinnacle of BGMI esports since the start of his esports career.
JONATHAN started 2022 by securing a fourth place finish in the Battlegrounds Mobile India Series. This granted GodLike Esports a slot in the global event PUBG Mobile Global Championship: Grand Finals. He demonstrated a commendable performance at the BGMI Masters Series, where GodLike Esports was the runner-up, and JONATHAN was awarded four accolades, including the MVP of the tournament award. However, JONATHAN failed to perform well in the Battlegrounds Mobile India Showdown 2022, where GodLike Esports finished in the 14th position.
According to Esports Earnings, it is estimated that JONATHAN earned $21,222 in 2022 alone.
Although GodLike Esports had its fair share of struggles in 2022, it is an eminent fact that JONATHAN is one of the top-notch players in the country. JONATHAN was the only Indian player nominated for the ‘Esports Mobile Player of the Year’ award at the prestigious Esports Awards. Furthermore, notable Indian personalities, like Animesh “Thug” Agarwal and Naman “MortaL” Mathur, international PUBG Mobile stars, like Bilguutei “Skryyy” Bayasgalan, have accepted that JONATHAN is the best BGMI player in India. Hence, it did not make sense to not put him in the first position.
It was a tough call to pick the number one player on the list based on the available data. JONATHAN has demonstrated a tremendous amount of growth and improvement throughout his career and currently stands as the best player in the country in our eyes.
