Mumbai Marshals: Reliving the victory at

The Esports Premier League (ESPL) 2021 finally drew its curtains amid much fanfare and buzz. The team that caught everyone’s attention and gloriously lifted the title at this flagship Free Fire tournament by India Today Gaming was the ‘Mumbai Marshals.’ Originally a TSM team, the Mumbai Marshals represented Mumbai at the first of its kind franchise-based esports tournament.

We connected with this young and dynamic group’s captain to know the team’s insights about winning the tournament, the overall concept, and more. What Indranil Saha, aka ‘FABINDRO,’ the captain had to share was utterly delightful and wholesome! Read on to know about and relive the victory of the ESPL 2021 champions.

Tell us a little about your team.

I am FabIndro, IGL and Captain of the TSMFTX and Mumbai Marshals Free Fire team. The team consists of Jay (Rusher), OldMonk (Rusher) and Amadron (Sniper). The team is famous for firepower and aggressive game style. Jay and Oldmonk are very well-known and highly regarded players in the Indian Free Fire community.

TSM FTX has won several tournaments so far. But tell us, how did the team come together?

We have been playing together as the current line-up for quite some time now, and when TSM FTX offered us the opportunity to play under their banner, it was an easy decision, to be honest. To get the opportunity to be a part of an international organisation like TSM and have such an amazing brand backing us up and providing us with top-notch facilities and bootcamp is definitely a big thing. Being a part of TSM has greatly helped us and me focus better on our game, and it has been one of the driving forces behind all our achievements lately.

Indranil Saha, aka ‘FABINDRO’ IGL and Captain of the TSMFTX and Mumbai Marshals Free Fire team

We were lucky enough to get picked to represent Mumbai and the people of Mumbai city.

How did the name ‘Mumbai Marshals’ come up?

The whole Mumbai Marshals thing, I would say, was a luck thing. So, ESPL had this very innovative initiative this year, where just like the IPL and ISL format, teams would represent different cities/ states in our country. It was all based on a lottery system, where each line-up would get picked up to represent one of many states. As I said, we were lucky enough to get picked to represent Mumbai and the people of Mumbai city.

What was it like to win ESPL 2021?

To an esports player, winning any tournament is a dream come true. To win a big event like ESPL 2021 with the whole nation watching was something I can’t put into words. Winning as a team at such a big event was one thing but winning it as ‘Mumbai Marshals,’ representing the whole city and its people, who have shown us immense support and love, is a moment my team and I will cherish forever.

What was the team’s strategy against Bangalore Ballistics in the finals? Tell us a little about the finals match.

Bangalore was definitely one of, if not the most challenging team in the league for sure. We had already

lost to them once before we made it to the finals. So, we knew what we were up against, and we had prepared how to go about it. We decided we wouldn’t hold back and defend; instead, we would go all out offensive, our strong side. So, knowing that Bangalore’s playstyle was all offensive and they were weakest in the defensive area, we just utilised that to our advantage and were able to take the games back to back and win the tournament.

Winning ESPL 2021 has shown us where we stand as players and it has helped us to figure out what are our strengths and weakness and what is it that we need to work on.

Mumbai Marshals were one of the strongest teams right from the start. Which other teams did you all think were tough competitors?

Like I mentioned earlier, definitely, Bangalore Ballistics was a team to look out for. We initially got caught by surprise by their offensive and attacking gameplay, but we were able to turn the tables in our favour, where it mattered the most.

Two more awards, the Most Valuable Player and Player of the tournament, also came to your team. Tell us about that?

Winning the tournament along with The Most Valuable Player for Jay and Player of the Tournament was just amazing. It finally felt like all our hard work and planning worked out well, and we were able to bring our A-game on the big stage. It’s definitely a big morale booster for our players and us to be recognised with these awards.

What do you think about ESPL? Its format, its impact?

ESPL is a massive event. I mean, the whole country was watching us. As an esports athlete, I know that India is still catching up to the west despite having having a vibrant gaming community. So yes, winning a big event like ESPL with national coverage is definitely a big step for our Free Fire community and esports scene. The format was exciting and fun, especially representing a city and its people; that’s an added responsibility. This was also the first time something of this sort has been implemented into the Free Fire space in India.

Has anything changed after winning ESPL 2021?

Our trophy case has a new trophy in it. That’s the most significant change. On a serious note, winning ESPL 2021 has shown us where we stand as players in the ranking, and it has helped us figure out our strengths and weaknesses and what we need to work on. Yes, we are extremely happy about winning ESPL 2021, but the goal is always to keep pushing and reach the next achievement.

The team was felicitated by Manish Sisodia, the Hon’ble Deputy CM of Delhi. What was it like?

It was an incredible feeling. The event was a highlight for all of our careers - from being part of Mumbai Marshals to lifting the trophy in Dehli and being felicitated by Hon’ble Deputy CM of Delhi, Manish Sisodia.

Other Sports ministers from various states had launched the franchise teams, Mumbai

I think one of the things missing from the esports scene in India is recognition from the government.

Marshals got launched by Sunil Chhatrapal Kedar. What do you think about the encouragement from such notable personalities? Will it help the esports scene in India?

Yes! This will help the esports scene in India. I think one of the things missing from the esports scene in India is recognition from the government. So more and more notable personalities supporting the scene will give the esports ecosystem a significant boost. He even showed the video to his friends. It was a proud moment for me as I could make my father happy.

The finals received more than 100 million views. How does that feel?

That’s great, and I congratulate the tournament organisers for the success of the event. Amassing 100 million views for a third party tournament is a significant step forward for Free Fire and Garena.

How did your family react when you won the ESPL 2021? Were they watching the match live?

Yes, my dad watched the finals, and he was overjoyed at the result.

What are your thoughts on the esports scene in India? What improvements would you like to see?

It’s impressive, but there is a lot of room for improvement. I think the Free Fire esports scene in India still has a lot of scope to grow. We are just witnessing its inception. The Free Fire scene and the community itself is heavily reliant on content.

Mumbai Marshals with Salil Kumar, CEO of India Today Group Digital and Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi.

What is the team focussing on next?

Right now, we are focusing on the Qualcomm events and of course, the Free Fire India Championship (FFIC) 2021.