It has not been a good year for Team Secret. After placing second during The International 2022, the team was unable to even qualify for The International 20233. Indeed, there were roster changes made by the Dota 2 team late last year.
However, after another disappointing finish at the ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023, it comes as no surprise that Team Secret once again did a roster shakeup. Barely two months as part of the team, Yeik "MidOne" Nai Zheng and Daniyal "yamich" Lazebnyy have both been benched. No reason was given by the team.
Team Secret though didn't simply stay put but immediately had replacements by signing Teng "Kordan" Tjin Yao and Marcel "Ekki" Hołowienko.
A Promising Star
Kordan is relatively new to the Dota 2 competitive scene having only starts back in August 2022. Later that year he was signed by Singaporean esports organization Bleed Esports. Despite beng a new team, it had been doing relatively well with one of its best finished ending the DPC SEA 2023 Tour 3: Division I on top. It seems though that team captain Clement "Puppey" Ivanov must have seen something in this young and promising start to bring him in for the midlane.
Given the playstyle of Southeast Asia, it's going to be an adjustment for Kordan, and we'll see if Puppey's trust in him is justified.
New to the Scene
Much like Kordan, Ekki also became part of the competitive scene back in 2022 with The Cut though it was a team coach. he would then become an Assistant Coach for Team Secret before heading over to TSM. Given his background, it would be interesting to see him play. It rare for those in management position to eventually change roles and become players. We'll see how he performs in the upcoming tournaments.
A Record Broken
Team Secret not qualifying for TI12 wasn't only disappointing but also heartbreaking especially for the fans of Puppey. That's because it meant the end of the streak. The streak being consecutive appearances in the biggest event of Dota 2.
Puppey had been there since the beginning, winning the first ever TI as part of Natus Vincere. While teams like OG and Team Spirit have two championships, a second Aegis has been elusive for Puppey so far. However, he has managed to be runner-up for a total of three times. Will this new roster be able to give him what he's long wanted?
What do you think are Team Secret's chances with this roster?
