T1 signs 23savage to replace JaCkky heading into the Singapore Major
23savage is back.
T1 has decided to replace Souliya “JaCkky” Khoomphetsavong with Dota 2 free agent Nuengnara “23savage” Teeramahanon a few weeks before the start of the ONE Esports Singapore Major.
We are pleased to welcome ‘23savage’ to our@DOTA2roster. Please look forward to our team heading toward@ONEEsportsSingapore Major 2021.T1 DOTA2 팀에 ‘23savage’ 선수가 합류하게 되었습니다. 팬 여러분들의 많은 관심과 응원 부탁드립니다.#T1WIN#T1Fighting#T1DOTA2pic.twitter.com/46cnuX6Q0x
The Dota 2 community was surprised by T1’s decision to swap carry players since the organization qualified for the Singapore Major. T1 finished in third place during the first season of the DPC Southeast Asia upper division with JaCkky playing as the team’s hard carry.
⭐️Unreal series between@T1and@NeonEsportsDota!⭐️?We will have a tiebreaker on Saturday, 9AM EET??@T1will fight again against@NeonEsportsDotato find out who will play directly into Group Stage and who will play the Wild Card at the Major?#DPCSEApic.twitter.com/08rzsEitJO
T1’s announcementdidn’t explain why they switched carry players. They just thanked JaCkky for his contributions to the team and wished him the best. JaCkky thanked fans that supported him and stated, “For now I’m going to play solo rank for myself.”
This wasn’t the first time 23savage’s skills were requested by a SEA team on short notice. During the final two weeks of the DPC SEA upper division, 23savage took over the hard carry position for BOOM Esports and replaced Andrew “Drew” Halim.BOOM Esports won its last two matches of the season with the help of 23savage, but the team still finished in fifth place.
Pros and commentators questioned T1’s decision to swap players so close to the Major.Invictus Gaming’s Jackie “JT-” Thiay thought it was the wrong time to kick JaCkky from the team.
Dota 2 commentatorAlvaro “AvoPlus” Sanchez Velasco was surprised that T1 roster shuffle decision happened earlier than expected, instead of making the change after the Singapore Major.
T1 will be playing in the ONE Esports Singapore Major’s wild card on March 27 against Team Nigma, Team Liquid, AS Monaco Gambit, and two Chinese Dota 2 squads that have yet to qualify.
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