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Valorant's release in 2020 inevitably managed to revitalize the professional esports scene in India. The success of VCT 2021 and positive feedback from the Indian community have given birth to several talented Valorant players in the country.
Kasif 'Paradox' Sayyed is a 21-year-old Indian esports athlete who captains True Rippers, a premier Valorant organization hailing from India. In addition to pursuing a professional career in Valorant, Paradox indulges in a plethora of esports titles.
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Paradox represents Cohesion Esports in CS: GO. His flexibility in gaming has earned him several opportunities to represent India in multiple games, even on a global scale. In an interview with Adarsh J Kumar of Sportskeeda Esports, Paradox talks about his Valorant career and his versatility in esports.
Paradox from Team Rippers' Valorant roster talks about his versatility in esports
Q: First off, how was your tournament experience in Singapore? How did it compare to your past international tournaments?
Paradox: It was great. This was my first time playing abroad, and I got the opportunity to represent India, which was a very big deal for me. It's every athlete's dream to represent their nation on a global stage.
Q: I'd like to know a bit about your gaming career. As a child, how much did games fascinate you and influence your journey into professional esports?
Paradox: I started playing games when I was 1.5 years old. My dad's a graphic designer, so he always had 2 PCs at home. So, I used to spend a lot of time playing games as a kid. Until the age of 5, my dad used to help me with games like Midtown Madness, Motocross and a few other games. Even a modded version of Counter-Strike 1.6 with bots added.
I started playing FPS games at the age of 3 and racing games at 1.5 years of age. My dad used to control the keyboard, and I used to control the mouse. For the racing games, I guess the arrow keys were enough.
I didn't have any particular interest in FPS games, though. Back then, my priority was racing games, story-based games, and then fighting games. I used to play FPS games a lot less around then. I engage in MOBA games as well, casually, with my friends once in a while, although I'm not great at it. I'm just a decent player in DOTA 2.
I was into sports in school. I used to learn advanced swimming. Even back then, I used to juggle between two sports. I was an all-rounder inclined towards bowling in cricket and a central defensive midfielder (CDM) in football. I represented Goregaon Sports Club for both sports.
Currently, I'm already doing a degree with multiple courses simultaneously. I'm doing an MCA with courses in Ethical Hacking and Cyber Security. I have to make the best out of my day. My day starts at 7 am, and I get to sleep only at 2 or 3 am.
Q: Your versatility in esports is common knowledge. Aside from Valorant, what are the various games you play professionally at present?
Paradox: Right now, I'm playing Valorant as my main game, with CS: GO on the side. I've participated in various events like FIFA, Street Fighter, and Tekken. I only enter FIFA PC tournaments since I don't have a PS4 at home. Street Fighter and Tekken conveniently allow cross-platform play.
I recently took part in the Logitech McLaren G Challenge 21 in Assetto Corsa Competizione. Unfortunately, I had to forfeit the event before the finals because it clashed with my Valorant fixture. These are kind of the cons of playing multiple games at the same time.
I have played a few Battle Royale games like PUBG, Apex Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone for various streamer invitational tournaments. I was the finalist of Acer Predator league 2018. However, my interest in PUBG died because the game was not optimized.
Even with a good PC, I used to get only around 70 FPS in the final circle of PUBG. But in the Acer tournament, I was getting as low as 30 FPS, which made the game practically unplayable. So, that marked the end of my PUBG career. I started Apex Legends when it came out in 2019. CS: GO was my main game back then.
Q: Pursuing a professional career in a single esports title is a difficult task in itself. What prompted you to follow a career in multiple esports? How do you manage your training schedule for various games, like Valorant, CS: GO and Street Fighter?
Paradox: I have been playing games since I was a kid, which gives me an advantage over many people. I am naturally gifted in FPS games, to be honest. I haven't played much FPS in my career.
Out of my 6000 hours in CS: GO, I must've spent only around 15 hours on aim training. The remainder was spent on pick-up games (PUGs) and nurturing various movement mechanics like climbing, surfing and b-hopping.
Aiming and shooting are something you can learn and retain through muscle memory. However, different movement mechanics in CS: GO is something players are required to invest their time into if they are looking to improve.
Q: With your interests spreading to various games other than Valorant, do you follow their esports scene as well? Who would you consider your favorite esports athletes?
Paradox: I don't follow esports for most of the games I play, just the ones I find interesting to watch. I follow CS: GO because the games are incredibly fun to watch. It's interesting to see teams explore new strategies. That's one thing we're missing in Valorant. Although spectating a Valorant match is fun, it becomes static after a while. In CS: GO, there is a multitude of possibilities as to what can happen in a game.
I don't follow Valorant esports much. I like to watch CS: GO, Street Fighter, Tekken. The matches in those games are pretty fast. A Street Fighter game consists of a best of 3 set with 99 seconds per round. Whereas Tekken has 60-second rounds with a best-of-5 series deciding the outcome of the match. I'm usually into games that are short and keep me hooked. I am already occupied with a lot of things at present.
For CS: GO, I'd like to go with s1mple from NAVI. The development of his character over the years is incredible. He was a toxic teenager playing for Hellraisers around the time I started playing CS: GO. Now, he is a humble champion of the game, dominating every single LAN event with off-the-chart stats.
For DOTA 2, it's been N0tail from OG. The legend I look up to in Street Fighter is Daigo Umehara, but currently, my favorite is Punk. I really enjoy Punk's goofy behavior and his comical streams and highlight clips. He's a flexible player as well.
Q: We will be seeing the Valorant Conquerors Championship return soon for a 2022 edition. What can we expect from True Rippers at the tournament?
Paradox: You can expect a lot from us. We consider this break we took as a step for us to learn. We're looking for a Valorant coach right now, and we might hire one sometime soon, which might help us grow exponentially. To be honest, I believe in True Rippers. The organization is really nice, and the whole team has been friends for a long time.
We arrived at TR as a single Valorant roster which was formed by merging The Rad Syndicate and AtmosFear. I truly believe this team has insane raw potential. Everyone on this team is super cracked. Mast3r and I have a good amount of CS: GO experience. True Rippers is a dark horse team in Valorant and are yet to tap the powers of all the individual players. If we completely go beyond our ceiling of potential and try to achieve something, no one can stop us.
As everyone has seen before, we have our good and bad days. Sometimes we choke a lot. But on days when everyone has their aim on-point, there's hardly anyone who can out-aim us. However, our opponents can counter-strat us and get away with it. To avoid this in the future, we're looking for a coach right now to unlock our team's true potential in Valorant. It's hard to see your own performance from a different angle.
Q: Who would you consider the most vocal member of the squad or the active shot-caller for the team?
Paradox: We don't have a fixed shot-caller at True Rippers, although Mast3r, Crosshair, BoNeS, and I juggle the responsibility. CrosshaiR and I are usually mid-round callers for the team, whereas BoNeS and Mast3r call the shots on the team's framework. Rellik and 1TaPGoD prioritize giving situational calls. 1TaPGoD goes for counter-calls at times, where he bases a play around me, and we execute it together.
Too many cooks spoil the broth. Everyone has the potential to do everything. But there's one thing. We need to keep some discipline in our team. Be it fragging power or statistics, it will be a major advantage for TR if we learn to play Valorant with discipline.
Q: Can you give us some insight on the training routine for True Rippers?
Paradox: Our training schedule is non-existent. All of us train together a couple of times a week. We then have a discussion amongst ourselves to see if there's anything that needs our attention or if changes need to be made. If we don't find any issues with that session, we disperse for the week. We go through our VODs as well in order to rectify the mistakes we commit against certain Valorant teams. Although we don't have that much knowledge about assessing performances through VODs, I try to keep an eagle eye on the radar.
The demo system is not available on Valorant and has been highly requested by professional and casual players alike. That's going to help a lot. I've used the demo system a lot in CS: GO. When I was in a growing stage, I used to watch my own demos in my free time. And I used to judge myself in various scenarios. I used to keep these things in my mind and try to improve the next time around.
Q: You're seen playing as Jett on most occasions. Is Jett your primary choice for a Valorant agent, or was it the team's decision?
Paradox: Honestly, I don't like Jett. You don't get to showcase a lot of your skillset. You have to provide your team with entry into the site every round. There's a good chance the player may die while giving the team entry. However, if your aim is on point as Jett and you provide the team with entry and fragging power, the round is secured. While being a support player, you can outsmart your enemies and clutch your rounds more conveniently.
During Valorant's closed beta, I used to play Breach a lot. I moved on to Omen and Brimstone as well. Then I switched to Sentinel while playing for my college team and streamer invitational, primarily Killjoy. I had to settle with a Duelist in Valorant despite the abundance of Duelists in my current team.
Mast3r and 1TaPGoD are primarily duelists. CrosshaiR is a versatile player. Rellik likes Sentinel and Controller, so we won't force him. Even though there are 3 Jett players on the team, my teammates feel I'm the better pick for the agent. The stats also state the same. Although despite playing Jett, I do like being a support player in Valorant.
Q: Unlike last year, the Valorant Conquerors Championship will offer winning teams a chance to participate at the Valorant Champions Tour 2022 Challengers stage. What are your thoughts on that development?
Paradox: That's a very good step. We have to prove our value to Riot. Last year was a hasty decision, and I guess 2 Chinese slots were canceled and handed out to other regions, not SA. So this is a great step in Asian Valorant. The circuit point system allows us to go with the most consistent team. India will finally get the chance to compete with foreign Valorant teams on the main stage without a ping difference.
Q: True Rippers are ranked among the top 50 Valorant teams in Asia-Pacific. With the current developments in Indian esports, where do you think your team stands when compared to other Indian Valorant teams?
Paradox: In South Asia, I think we are in the top 8. We might be top 5 in India as well. We've gained a lot of confidence after beating Team XO, Enigma Gaming, and Team Exploit in the past.
We scrim very rarely. We scrim twice a month, maybe. We duo/triple queue in ranked matches once in a while. The most unpredictable factor associated with TR is that we don't practice a lot. While other teams practice around 6-10 hours a day, we do a bit over 6 hours a month. However, we scrim once or twice a day on special occasions.
Recently, for TEC Gauntlet S3, we were scrimming against Chinese and Japanese teams on Valorant's Hong Kong servers. We performed well against them while understanding all the mistakes we made. However, it was difficult to apply that in the tournament. Although we finished 3rd, we're not content with our results. We could've been the champions if we hadn't lost to Team XO. The inconsistency hits, so that's something that hurts us a lot.
We beat Enigma 2-1 just a stage before that, and we convincingly lost to XO. (Split 13-11, Haven 13-4) Haven was one of our best maps in training, but we got squashed completely against them. That's the kind of inconsistency I mentioned. We will be working on improving that before heading into Valorant Conquerors Championship and other upcoming tournaments. There are a lot of tournaments due in 2022 that we are really excited about.
Q: What do you think are the various challenges that esports athletes face in India?
Paradox: The biggest challenge of esports in India is parental support. I consider myself fortunate enough to have it. I had one condition to play these games. I had to prove myself in academics, or I wouldn't be allowed to play anymore.
I was an intelligent kid. I used to be on the merit list every single time. I fell down in 8th grade. Even my 10th grade was affected by my gaming. My parents told me I had to prioritize studies, but I would get to play games on the side.
At one point in high school, I got carried away by games, and that resulted in bad grades. So, I had to become an all-rounder. I started studying religiously. Playing games became difficult for me then, to be honest. But that's when I learned the virtue of time management. If you procrastinate a lot, you won't end up doing any of the things you initially planned.
Q: Following up on my previous question, how do you think we can overcome those hurdles in the long run?
Paradox: Esports is considered taboo in India. Parents don't have much knowledge about gaming. I have seen a lot of parents who confuse gaming with gambling. We need to help them understand what gaming is. Another factor the upcoming generation needs to keep in mind is the unhealthy addiction towards gaming.
Players should try not to get addicted to it by playing 14-16 hours every day. Even the healthiest thing on the planet may not work out for you if you do it in abundance. Sitting in front of the PC for countless hours can have an adverse effect on a person's health. That's something the next generation of players has to keep in mind.
Q: According to you, what can be done to improve the Valorant esports scene in India?
Paradox: In my opinion, there needs to be a regulatory body for esports in India. There was a recent messup for XO, Enigma and us in Valorant. We had three best-of-three series on a single day. Before facing us in that particular matchup, Enigma had already depleted their energy playing all six maps of their previous two matches. We weren't far behind, as we had played five maps in our first two matches. Enigma were matched up with us for their 3rd match of the day, not too long after their previous game. Both sides were exhausted. Inevitably, that match also lasted three whole maps.
Incidentally, this happened to all three mentioned teams for three consecutive days. It was too tiring for all of us. We desperately need a government-organized body to regulate tournaments within the region. Even though Riot provides the tournament organizers with their Valorant schedule, a clash is inevitable at times.
This is an aspect where Velocity Gaming and Global Esports excel. They understand the health conditions of their players, as often seen in VLT's manager EupHo's tweets. If they have any health condition impeding their performance, they are aware of taking the necessary measures.
Velocity and Global, however, are the top 2 Valorant teams in India. It can get difficult to skip matches for teams like TR, Enigma, XO, FS, God Particles, and a few others. These teams are competing for the top spot in India and have to put more time into practice and official matches. This, in turn, makes it incredibly hectic.
Q: You have a professional career in CS: GO as well. But as you know, India doesn't have a great history in professional CS: GO. With Valorant coming in recent years, how do you think that dynamic has shifted?
Paradox: A huge thumbs up to Riot Games for creating such a game. It's not an easy task to please a large player base. Riot made Valorant free-to-play with minimum specs requirement. Even if I use a ten-year-old laptop, I'll get a min of 30 fps which will suffice for the casual player base.
Although, If I had to hate one thing about Valorant, it would be the narrow skill ceiling. In CS: GO, you can get an idea of a player's skill level by having a look at his gameplay for 5 minutes. However, in Valorant, even the best player in the world can lose to an average player who's just having a good day. The selected agent matters a lot. It's harder to outplay opponents while playing as a Duelist when compared to any other agent due to the ability toolkit.
Even someone who's having a bad aim-day can shut you down with their abilities on Valorant. Players can just manage to land a stray bullet to the head due to the game's spray mechanics. In CS: GO, it's more of a rare occurrence. Just take a look at KQLY's viral jump-shot against pashaBiceps in ESL One: Cologne 2014. The shot has since gone viral. It is popular to date due to the uncertainty associated with landing a shot mid-air in CS: GO.
Whereas in Valorant, you can even take down opponents by jumping and burst-firing the Classic. Valorant is relatively easy to learn and master. If I had to change something about Valorant, I would make it easy to understand but challenging to master.
Q: Earlier at Valorant Champions 2021, we witnessed underdog teams from SEA, BR and LATAM bring their own set of strategies and out-aim opposition from various developed gaming regions. Compared to these other regions, what do you think we lack? And when do you see India being on equal footing with teams from these regions in the near future?
Paradox: If we're talking Indian Valorant teams in general, I would say our aim and communication are excellent. One thing Indian teams lack a lot is the discipline in their game style. If they see one guy peeking, they get tempted to glance back, which might result in death. This is something True Rippers lack as well.
It's in the Indian blood. We tend to throw a lot of rounds by going for the frags instead of patiently playing the round out. I believe Indian Valorant players have an aim on par with the best players in the world. I'm not talking about anyone in particular, but I have personally seen a lot of teams follow nothing but textbook strategies. There is no room for flexibility in these teams. Even in one of our matches, we encountered a similar situation.
Teams need to adapt to various situations in the game instantaneously. Indian Valorant teams are naturally aggressive in their playstyle. Velocity Gaming and Team XO, in particular, are known for their aggression. However, the style of play may not work against teams from other regions. Velocity Gaming and Global Esports have a good change of pace and can adapt to situations. As a region, however, we have a lot to learn.
Q: Do you think the lack of opportunities India had in professional Valorant has a huge impact on the mindset of Indian teams?
Paradox: It's common for teams to get uncomfortable once they step out of their region. This is valid for Valorant teams all over the world. It is difficult to analyze their position since they are part of even bigger regions like SA and APAC. So, once out of their zone, teams tend to forget their natural playstyle and find it difficult to adapt to the match environment.
EU is the most versatile region I've seen in all esports, be it CS: GO or Valorant. They tend to adapt to situations quickly, whereas NA relies on their natural aim. To be honest, we are yet to receive major opportunities in Valorant esports. We haven't played against EU or NA teams. Given that our experience is limited to SEA and JPHK Valorant teams, we are yet to see what we can do.
Q: Finally, what do you plan to achieve with True Rippers and your other gaming ventures in 2022?
Paradox: We look forward to a lot of opportunities. TR is like a bud ready to blossom. We just have to tap into our potential. If we put on our best show, TR will be a menacing threat not just in SA but in the whole APAC region. I believe in our players and management. With the inclusion of a coach in the coming weeks, we will emerge as one of the best Valorant teams in India!
I'm very grateful to TR for not restricting me to a single game. Valorant is my priority, but it's been hard to manage the timing for the other games. Apart from CS: GO and Valorant, I play games just to keep my skill level in check. I even started playing Guilty Gear - Strive recently, even though it's not as popular as Street Fighter. We are the defending champions of ESL India in CS: GO, so we await a lot of positives there as well.
