As the name suggests, the In-Game Leader (IGL) is the team captain. Playing a match of CS2 without an IGL is like driving a car with five drivers, where each driver wants to take a different route to the destination. In short, it's a complete mess.
The main responsibility of the In-Game Leader is to bring the entire team onto one page. While the IGL can take suggestions from the team, the final decision is in their hands. Once the decision is made, the team must follow it, which helps eliminate confusion.
Another important task assigned to the IGL is making split-second decisions during intense situations. When the time is short, and the team does not know what to do, the IGL must take charge and guide the team.
There is a certain set of skills that an IGL must have to carry out this role effectively. These skills include:
- Strategical Thinking: The IGL must be able to think strategically. The IGL must also know all basic strategies used in competitive maps and their counters.
- Quick Decision Making: The IGL must be able to make split-second decisions according to the changing situation while developing an action plan on the go.
- Staying Calm Under Pressure: The IGL must be able to keep their cool in intense situations. In these situations, the team needs their IGL the most for guidance.
- Communication: The best strategy in the world is only useful if one can effectively convey it to the team, so the IGL must have good communication skills.
- Leadership: The IGL must have good leadership skills to inspire confidence in the team. If you show that you have lost hope, your team will also lose hope and won't play as effectively.
The In-Game Leader is one of the most critical roles in CS2. However, it doesn't mean that other roles are less important or that each player must focus on being an IGL.
Ask yourself, do you like taking charge whenever the opportunity presents itself? Are you able to make rational decisions under immense pressure? And, are you able to communicate effectively?
If the answers to the questions above are "Yes," then the IGL role might be right for you. However, there is no harm in exploring more CS2 roles to see if another one fits best for you.
