"Looking at all the pro players who earned fame and recognition through esports made me desire the same" - Nikhil ‘Flexx’ Govind, Team Tamilas Valorant pro

In recent months, the Team Tamilas Valorant roster has grown leaps and bounds to be one of the best teams in India.

Not only have these fresh faces of young and raw individual talents started to make their mark on the Indian esports landscape, but they were also able to garner an incredible amount of support from Valorant fans across the nation.

Nikhil ‘Flexx’ Govind has been one of the biggest factors behind Team Tamilas’ success. And his special brand of 'Op-ing' skills with Raze and Jett are integral to the team’s playstyle as they rise to become one of the top contenders to Velocity Gaming’s throne.

In an exclusive interview with Abhishek Mallick of Sportskeeda Esports, Flexx opens up about his journey as an esports professional and his future hopes and aspirations in the field.

Here is an excerpt of the conversation.

Q. For a group of fresh, young faces, Team Tamilas have been able to show a wealth of raw talent and ability when it came to competitive Valorant. You played a big part in much of the squad’s recent success, and your grasp of Duelist Agents has been nothing short of incredible. So, tell us a bit about yourself. Who is Team Tamilas’ Flexx?

Flexx: My name is Nikhil Govind, aka Flexx, and I play Valorant professionally for Team Tamilas. Before switching to Valorant, I used to play CS:GO professionally for teams like Unknown Esports and F-Society and was one of the top contenders in the Indian Esports scene back then. I have recently completed my degree in BBA, and I'm currently into full-time gaming.

Q. Who doesn’t love a good origin story? And I believe your journey to a career in professional esports must have been quite an interesting one. What made you realize that playing competitive video games was something that you wanted to do?

Flexx: So, it all started way back when I was in the 9th grade, and my classmates used to play this game called Counter-Strike 1.6. It was completely new to me at the time, as I didn’t know video games were played competitively and professionally.

I started getting more passionate about the game, and the more I played it, the more I realized that the gaming community is a world in itself. Looking at all the pro players who had earned fame and recognition through esports made me desire the same, and here we are.

Q. How is the atmosphere back at home? Are your parents supportive of your career choice?

Flexx: My parents are very supportive of me gaming as they like the fact that I am pursuing my passion unlike most people. Although it is not a very stable career, they have supported me till now in every way possible and I am grateful for that.

Q. Before crossing paths with Valorant, was there a competitive game that you fancied a lot?

Flexx: It was Counter-Strike, which started it all for me. I began with CS 1.6 and went Pro in CS:GO when I had played for like six years before switching to Valorant.

Q. What about Valorant attracted you the most? And how far do you see the game going in the current Indian esports ecosystem?

Flexx: I like the fact that Valorant is an FPS game with abilities, which I found quite interesting. Though I wasn’t a big fan of it when it was released, I soon grew to love it the more I played it. As I wanted to learn a lot of new things in the game, it made me quite curious and pushed me to play this game almost all the time.

I think Valorant has a lot of scope in the Indian esports scene, and the playerbase is more compared to the other games. It will definitely increase in the coming months.

Q. In a previous interview with us, your teammate Santhosh 'Rafaaaa' Kumar opened up about the friendship between you, him, and Stoner, and how that contributes to much of the synergy that is in the squad. Talk to us about this special bond that the three of you share? How old is this friendship?

Flexx: So Stoner, Rafaaaaa, and I go way back to CS:GO days where we all used to play for different teams. We were rivals in the beginning but soon became teammates and started grinding together to win titles. I have known Rafaaaa and Stoner for almost four years now, and we have a really good understanding of each other.

Q. During the Indian Valorant tournaments so far, we have seen you put up a clinic on duelist picks such as Raze and Jett. What about these two Agents compliment your playstyle so much?

Flexx: In CS:GO, I was a really passive player when compared to Valorant. Raze and Jett have made me more aggressive and confident in my plays, which I don't find in any other agents. The mobility I get with them helps me to use the Operator in the game, which is why I prefer them the most.

Q. Raze or Jett? Which one do you prefer more?

Flexx: Ah, this is a tough question, but I will have to go with Jett. She makes me feel more in the zone, and with her, I can be more confident with the Op in hand than with Raze. Though I like to play certain maps with Raze, overall, I will pick Jett anytime.

Q. The Jett-Operator meta has taken quite a big hit in recent patches. It’s not as oppressive as it used to be, and with so many flashes available in the game right now, not everyone wants to invest so much in a gun, which seems to pose more risks than rewards. How do you feel about the current role of the sniper in Valorant?

Flexx: The Operator nerf is definitely huge. Coming from a game like CS:GO, the hardest thing I found about this game is the Operator.

Although I found it hard to use at the beginning of the nerf, I'm slowly getting used to it. The OP is a very strong gun, and this nerf limits its usage, which is good in a way.

Q. What are your thoughts on the latest Agent Skye? Has she made a significant impact on Team Tamila’s usual playstyle?

Flexx: We haven't started using Skye in our lineup for now and are not planning to anytime soon. It will take some time as we first have to see how International players use it in their roster and get an idea of it.

Q. The Icebox release has been a very controversial one. While there are parts of the playerbase that absolutely hate it, others like it because of its complexities and how closely it resembles CS:GO’s map designs. So, what are your personal opinions on Icebox? Do you love playing on it or dodge as soon as it’s selected in matchmaking?

Flexx: I really hate the Icebox map, and I don't think it's good for competitive games. I used to instantly dodge it earlier, but nowadays, we play it because we have no choice, and we have to end up playing it at some point in the future.

Q. What are practice sessions like with the rest of the Team Tamila’s members? Is there a dedicated shot-caller in the squad who comes up with various callouts and strategies?

Flexx: Currently, we are still working on that. We have a new IGL who is calling the shots in-game, and we are working on our practice timings as there were a few roster changes, and the team is still working on its synergy and getting the coordination back.

Q. In recent months, you had the opportunity of going up against some of the best Valorant rosters that the nation had to offer. Who were your hardest opponents so far?

Flexx: The hardest opponent, in my opinion, would be Velocity Gaming. Most of the teams are really good and are displaying great skills and ideas. The competition is really high in Valorant.

Q. Who, in your opinion, is the best team and best Valorant player in the nation right now?

Flexx: The best team again, in my opinion, would be Velocity Gaming. I don't have a fixed best player as a lot of players are really good, and there have been no lans conducted to actually say who is the best.

Q. Before signing off, is there something you would like to say to your fans and the next generation of Indian esports talents?

Flexx: I would really like to thank everyone and the TTfamily for supporting us all the way regardless of the result. I really think that esports is growing very fast in India right now, and a lot of opportunities are coming up.

So, players who have the passion and determination to be an esports athlete don't lose hope and keep playing. You will definitely be recognized one day.