T1 Replaces JaCkky with 23savage ahead of Singapore Major

T1’s roster conundrums continue after the team revealed that it would be replacing carry player Souliya “JaCkky” Khoomphetsavong with Nuengnara “23savage” Teeramahanon. The Laotian joined  T1 in November last year as a highly rated prospect in the SEA region. With the transfer, all eyes are set on 23savage who became the first Dota 2 player to reach 12,000 MMR just a day earlier.

© T1

The decision is not without controversy, as many fans and Dota 2 personalities alike have voiced their disapproval. JaCkky departs the team just a few days after T1 qualified for the Wild Card slot of the upcoming ONE Esports Singapore Major 2021. His efforts in the DPC South Asian Upper Division, during which he helped T1 finish in third place, will be in vain seeing as he won’t be able to participate in the Major despite qualifying for it.

T1 on the other hand will be dealt a DPC points penalty, but it is seen as a far cry from being just considering that JaCkky won’t be earning any points at all. Although perceived as unfair, Valve has yet to crack down on these types of roster changes that leave the released player in a tough position heading forward.

A short-lived opportunity

Coming into his stint with T1, JaCkky was a highly desired prospect in the SEA region. He was the standout player on Motivate Trust Gaming’s roster, which saw the Thai organization emerge as a top-three team in SEA.

Things were not all bad for JaCkky during his time with the T1. The Laotian proved time and time again that he has earned his place in the upper echelons of SEA Dota 2.

His performance with the team during the PGL South Asian Upper Division was admirable, but certain mistakes, that seemingly stemmed from communication issues with the team turned out to be a crucial factor in T1 ultimately placing third.

JaCkky’s also proved that his raw mechanical skills are certainly up there with the world’s best, but his fairly limited hero pool and at times questionable decision-making left a lot to be desired.

He leaves the team as a hot prospect in the region, and with the performances he put up with T1 will likely not remain teamless for long.

23savage gets a team a week after announcing he is looking for one

Considered to be one of the biggest talents to grace the Dota 2 competitive scene in recent time, 23savage’s addition to T1 is huge. Taking into account the current state of the Dota 2 ecosystem and 23savage’s free agency, T1 themselves certainly saw the opportunity as an all-or-nothing to pick up the Thai player.

23savage first emerged as a highly rated pub star in the regional scene, before making a name for himself as one of Dota 2’s premier carries while playing for Fnatic. His stint with the team was cut short in January last year as the up-and-coming star found himself teamless after getting replaced by Marc Polo Luis “Raven” Fausto.

A stint with Vici Gaming soon followed but was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic without 23savage playing an official game for the Chinese organization. Although teamless, the player did make two appearances for BOOM Esports as a stand-in two weeks ago, winning against Execration and Vice Esports and ultimately helping them secure a spot in SEA’s Upper Division.

In terms of overall carry potential, 23savage is a huge upgrade over JaCkky. His hero pool is much larger, and his aggressive play style will almost surely mesh better with T1’s current roster.

The player will be making his debut for T1 at the upcoming ONE Esports Singapore Major 2021.

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