Dota 2: Nisha leaves Team Secret despite second place finish at TI11
Western European Dota 2 powerhouse Team Secret announced on Thursday (1 December) that star midlaner Michał "Nisha" Jankowski has parted ways with the team, after four years on their roster.
Nisha's departure from Secret comes as a huge surprise, as he was a huge part of the team's incredible run at The International 11 (TI11).
Despite coming all the way from the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ), Secret reached the Grand Finals after dominant showings in both the Group Stage and the Main Event.
However, Secret could not complete their Cinderella Run at TI11 as they got swept 3-0 by Tundra Esports in the Grand Finals.
Secret did not disclose Nisha's reasons for leaving, but team captain Clement "Puppey" Ivanov said in a statement that the midlaner decided to "move on and see more of the world".
"What can I say about my boy Nisha... We've played many years together, shared many laughs, travelled the world and won a bunch of tournaments. I cherish our time together and completely understand his decision to move on and see more of the world. I wish him all the best and hope that his fire will keep burning for many more years," said Puppey.
Nisha joined Secret back in September 2018 as an 18-year old prodigy that turned heads all around the scene despite playing in lower tier teams. In his four years with Secret, Nisha helped the team become one of the most dominant squads in the Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) and was recognized as one of the best midlaners in the world.
Nisha's list of accomplishments with Secret include three Major championships as well as Top 4 finishes in three other Majors. In May to September 2020, the midlaner even helped Secret go on an incredible streak of eight-straight tournament wins.
Most importantly, Nisha has helped Secret's improve its results at TI since he joined in 2018. After finishing in 5th-6th place at TI8 prior to Nisha joining, Secret has since placed 4th, 3rd, and 2nd at TI9, TI10, and TI11, respectively.
With his departure from Secret, Nisha also left behind some very big shoes to fill. Prior to announcing the midlaner's move, the team confirmed that the rest of the roster is staying together.
Secret is set to reveal Nisha's replacement in the coming days before the roster lock for the 2022-2023 DPC season on 9 December.
Nisha's departure from Secret is the latest of many developments in the global Dota 2 scene's ongoing post-TI11 roster shuffle.
With so much of the Dota 2 competitive scene cantered around TI and its multimillion-dollar prize pools, most teams are formed with the goal of getting to the game's world championship tournament in a bid to claim the Aegis of Champions and the lion's share of the massive prize.
But only one team can win TI, with Tundra Esports being crowned as the champions of TI11 this year.
With that, the rest of the scene are now scrambling to assemble the best rosters possible to try again next year.
For all the biggest moves in the ongoing Dota 2 post-TI roster shuffle you should know about, check here.
Team Secret roster:
Remco "Crystallis" Arets
N/A
Roman "Resolut1on" Fominok
Bakyt "Zayac" Emilzhanov
Clement "Puppey" Ivanov
If you're a fan of Dota 2 both as a game and as an esports title, check out our Dota 2 page. From news to results, to the latest game meta or builds, as well as player interviews, there's something for everyone.
For more esports news updates, visit https://yhoo.it/YahooEsportsSEA and check out Yahoo Esports Southeast Asia’s Facebook page and Twitter, as well as our Gaming channel on YouTube.
