Nodwin Gaming has officially announced India's League of Legends roster for the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026, scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 to 29. The team will first compete in regional qualifiers from June 19 to 21, aiming to secure a spot among 32 national teams vying for a prize pool exceeding Rs 14 crore (USD 1.5 million).
India's lineup and leadership
The Indian squad will be captained by Aakash Shandilya, known as Infi, one of Asia's most accomplished junglers with over 35 tournament victories. The roster includes Akshaj Shenoy (Kat Bot), a consistent top performer; Rahul Bisht (Bob), regarded as India's leading support player; Vinayak Gupta (Panda), the nation's premier top laner; and Niranjan Prabakaran (Sam), a reliable team-oriented player. Substitutes are Sharavan Kumar (DoubleYou), valued for versatility, and Manoj Ravish (Shockya), a top bot laner. The team will be coached by Pankaj Upadhyay (KAKA).
Experience and synergy
Infi and Kat Bot were part of India's League of Legends contingent at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023, where the team finished fifth. Alongside Bob, they currently represent S8UL Esports and have also qualified for the upcoming 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. This gives the national team a strong, experienced core. Speaking on the announcement, Infi said: "Representing India is always a special responsibility. This roster brings together players who have competed together for years and understand each other's strengths well. We have a strong mix of experience, individual talent, and synergy, and our immediate focus is on preparing well for the qualifiers and earning our place at the Esports Nations Cup."
ENC 2026 format
The Esports Nations Cup will feature 32 national teams competing for USD 1.5 million (approximately INR 14 crore). Sixteen teams will earn direct invitations based on ENC rankings, while 14 will qualify through regional online tournaments. Two additional slots will be awarded via wildcard entries.
India's wider ENC campaign
India's preparations extend across multiple titles. The DOTA 2 roster is led by Krish Gupta, competing in qualifiers from June 29 to July 1. In Chess, Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Mitrabha Guha have secured direct qualification. The MOBA Legends: 5v5! team is led by Kyle, currently ranked 11th globally. The Rocket League roster, led by Abscrazy, will compete in qualifiers from July 17 to 19.
