NODWIN Gaming Announces Indian Honor of Kings Roster for Esports Nations Cup 2026
NODWIN Gaming, acting as India’s National Team Partner (NTP) for the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026, has officially announced the national Honor of Kings roster. The team is set to represent India at the inaugural edition of the global, nation-based esports tournament, which will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 to 29, 2026. Alongside the roster reveal, it was confirmed that India has received a Special Invite to proceed directly to the Honor of Kings main event at the tournament.
Tournament Structure and Qualification Pathways
The Honor of Kings competition at ENC 2026 is scheduled to run from November 24 to 29, featuring 24 national teams competing for a total prize pool of USD 1.32 million (approximately INR 12.5 crore). Across the globe, 64 national rosters representing 64 countries and territories have been officially submitted and confirmed for the broader tournament phase.
To determine the final lineup of 24 teams, the Esports Foundation has allocated 12 direct invitations through the ENC Ranking system. This system aggregates points accumulated by players in official Honor of Kings competitions up until July 5, 2026. Beyond these direct invites and India's Special Invite, nine qualification spots will be decided during regional online qualifiers scheduled for July 18 to 19. The final two positions at the ENC Finals will be filled via wildcard invitations, consisting of one Host Region slot and one Solidarity slot.
The Indian Roster and Player Profiles
The selected Indian lineup features several prominent players from the country's domestic competitive circuit. The starting roster consists of:
- Rahul Lavhate (using the in-game name Kyurem)
- Aashish Chouhan (Deadshot)
- Ainul Haidery (Senpai)
- Saurabh Jagadale (Kael)
- Bezalel Hmar (Eto)
Additionally, Aryan Gulati (TT) and Saad Sardar (Darkness) have been named as the team's substitutes. Gradyano Valendy (Rinnqt), who was previously appointed as the head coach by NODWIN Gaming, will lead the team's training and preparation for the tournament in Riyadh.
Ainul "Senpai" Haidery, representing Revenant Xspark, will serve as the team's in-game leader (IGL). Known as one of India's top Junglers, Haidery is joined by his Revenant Xspark teammate Deadshot, a prominent Clash Lane player. The duo recently won the Bengaluru leg of the Kings Arise India City Tour and are also scheduled to represent India at the Honor of Kings World Cup (KWC) at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 in Paris.
The starting squad also features S8UL Esports teammates Kyurem and Kael, who won the Mumbai leg of the Kings Arise India City Tour and are similarly slated to compete at KWC 2026. GodLike Esports' Eto completes the starting five as one of the country's emerging talents, while substitutes TT and Darkness provide depth to the roster.
Player Reactions and Ambitions
In-game leader Ainul Haidery commented on the growth of the game and the team's goals, stating: "The Honor of Kings esports scene in India has grown tremendously in a short span of time, and this roster reflects the depth of talent that has emerged across different organizations. Representing India at the Esports Nations Cup is both an honour and a responsibility, and every player understands what this opportunity means. We want to deliver performances the community can be proud of, establish India as a strong competitor on the global Honor of Kings stage, and inspire more players to pursue the game competitively."
India's Broader Campaign at ENC 2026
With the confirmation of the Honor of Kings lineup, India has secured representation in five distinct titles at ENC 2026: Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Chess, Honor of Kings, Trackmania, and VALORANT. Like the Honor of Kings squad, India's BGMI team has also received a special invite to its respective main event.
In Chess, Grandmaster Nihal Sarin earned a direct invitation through the official ENC Rankings, while Mitrabha Guha secured his spot by progressing through the regional qualifiers. The Indian VALORANT team earned its place by qualifying through the Asia regional qualifiers, and Trackmania player Kunal "Spark" Upreti advanced from the Asia regional qualifier to book his spot at the global event.
However, other Indian campaigns have concluded. The DOTA 2 team was eliminated after a narrow defeat to Pakistan in the Lower Bracket Final of the South & East Asia Qualifier. The PUBG: Battlegrounds team also failed to qualify after finishing sixth in the Asia Pacific regional qualifier, missing out on the main event. Meanwhile, India's MOBA Legends: 5v5! squad remains in contention for a direct invite, with regional qualifiers scheduled for August 15 to 16 if required.
