Nodwin Gaming reveals the India’s DOTA 2 and MOBA Legends: 5v5! teams for ENC 2026

NODWIN Gaming, India’s National Team Partner (NTP) for the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026, has officially announced the country’s national teams for DOTA 2 and MOBA Legends: 5v5! ahead of the global nation-based esports competition set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 to 29, 2026.

Esports Nations Cup aka ENC 2026: Dota 2 and MOBA Legends 5v5 Rosters

DOTA 2: Krish Gupta (Krish), Dhvanit Singh Negi (Negi), Vishal Vernekar (HBK), Manav Kunte (MnZ), Yash Thakur (xand3r_^), with Khaja Hussain (Pinkman) and Harsh Shah (Archmage-) serving as substitutes.

MOBA Legends: 5v5!: Gaithanlung Gonmei (Kyle), Susanta Biswas (Kimyy), Abhijeet Katkar (Asuna), Rithik Sohal (Romcom), Evancius A. Sangma (Vann), with Mohammad Saad (Apex) and Jay Mehta (J) serving as reserve players.

Team India’s DOTA 2 Roster For Esports Nations Cup 2026

Krish, currently the highest-ranked Indian DOTA 2 player, has previously represented the country at the Hangzhou Asian Games and IESF Asian Championship 2023 while also competing for Tier 1 Southeast Asian teams. Renowned for his strong mid-lane impact, game knowledge, and ability to perform under pressure, he forms the core of a lineup built around experience and leadership.

Veteran player Negi brings years of competitive experience, strong communication, and a calming presence, while HBK, a member of India’s bronze medal-winning squad at the Commonwealth Esports Championships 2022, is regarded as one of the country’s leading Position 5 players thanks to his leadership, game understanding, and international experience.

The lineup is further strengthened by Global Esports Games representative MnZ, whose experience, map awareness, and positioning add stability to the squad. Joining him is xand3r_^, a player known for his strong game sense, decision-making, and composure under pressure.

The substitutes add valuable depth, with Pinkman bringing extensive competitive experience and strong game knowledge, while Archmage- provides a dependable backup option. The roster also benefits from existing chemistry, with Krish, MnZ, HBK, and Pinkman having competed alongside each other across multiple teams and tournaments in the past. Moin Ejaz (NO_Chanc3) will lead India’s DOTA 2 campaign as coach, overseeing player selection, team strategy, and roster development for the tournament.

DOTA 2 at ENC 2026 will take place from November 2 to 9, featuring 32 national teams competing for a prize pool of USD 1.5 million (~INR 14.2 crore). The ENC Rankings for submitted DOTA 2 rosters will be finalized on June 7, with the top 16 teams receiving direct invitations to the Finals. An additional 14 teams will qualify through online regional qualifiers scheduled from June 29 to July 2, while the final two slots will be awarded through wildcard invitations.

“Representing India is always a special feeling, and the Esports Nations Cup gives us the opportunity to compete against some of the strongest teams in the world under the national flag. We have a roster with a good mix of experience and chemistry, and our focus will be on preparing well and delivering our best on the international stage,” said Krish Gupta aka Krish, in-game leader (IGL) of the DOTA 2 team.

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Team India’s MOBA Legends: 5v5! Roster for ENC 2026

Playing for True Rippers, Kyle, Kimyy, and Asuna recently led the organization to victory at the MOBA Legends Masters Series (MLMS), securing qualification to the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 as India’s sole representative in the title.

Kyle is regarded as one of India’s most promising young Gold Laners, known for his mechanical skill, positioning, and map awareness, while Kimyy brings leadership and established synergy with his teammates. Asuna is widely considered one of the country’s most accomplished Mid Laners and is particularly renowned for his mastery of mage heroes.

The lineup is further strengthened by GodLike Esports’ Romcom and Vann, who won Mythic Showdown Season 2 last year. Romcom is known for his communication and ability to create space for teammates through effective zoning, while Vann adds flexibility across multiple hero pools alongside strong mechanical ability.

Adding further depth are S8UL Esports’ Apex and J. Apex previously competed at the MLBB Mid Season Cup at EWC 2024, while J has enjoyed success alongside him, including victory at the Rai Star x Gyan Gaming Cup. The roster will be coached by Steve Vitug (Dale).

MOBA Legends: 5v5! at ENC 2026 will take place from November 23-29, featuring 32 national teams competing for a prize pool of USD 1.5 million (~INR 14.2 crore). The Esports Foundation (EF) will allocate 16 direct invitations through the official ENC Ranking system, with a cut-off date of August 2.

A further 14 teams will qualify through regional online qualifiers, while the final two spots will be awarded via wildcard invitations. India is currently ranked 11th and remains in contention for a direct invitation. Should it miss out, the team will compete in the regional qualifiers scheduled for August 15 to 16.

“India has a strong pool of MOBA Legends talent, and this lineup reflects a good balance of proven performers and players who have earned their place through recent results. Many of these athletes already have experience competing together, which gives us a solid starting point as we work towards representing the country at the Esports Nations Cup,” commented Steve Vitug aka Dale, coach of the MOBA Legends: 5v5! Team.

Rainbow Six Siege, Chess and Rocket League Rosters Have been Revealed

Elsewhere, India’s Rainbow Six Siege campaign at ENC 2026 came to an end in the Asia qualifiers following a 0-2 defeat to Japan in the quarterfinals, with the team ultimately finishing among the top six teams in the region.

In Chess, Grandmaster Nihal Sarin remains the only Indian player to secure direct qualification for the ENC 2026 main event through the official Champions Chess Tour (CCT) Leaderboard. With each country or territory permitted a maximum of two representatives at the Finals, one additional Indian player can still qualify through regional qualifiers operated by Chess.com, scheduled for June 6-7 and June 13-14.

Meanwhile, India’s Rocket League contingent featuring Abhai Ponna (Abscrazy), Karthik Raghunandan (Karvin), Aditeya Srivastav (Riyal), and substitute player Jayanth Engineer (Orjanguse) will compete in the regional qualifiers from July 17 to 19, where three teams from Asia will secure qualification for the ENC 2026 main event.

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