Tundra Esports’ run at the International 2024 (TI13) has been a successful one in retrospect. While the fans and players themselves likely wished they could have won TI13 altogether and let Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen become the first three-time TI Champion. It’s still an amazing feat for this Western European powerhouse.
Still even with this success, Tundra has opted to part ways with Roman “RAMZES666” Kushnarev, looking to shake things up for the next season.
Recap on Tundra Esports at TI13
Tundra Esports at TI13 (Image credit: The International 2024)
Going into TI13, Tundra Esports’ didn’t have their complete line-up available. Edgar “9Class” Naltakian failed to secure his visa, so Martin “Saksa” Sazdov stood-in for Tundra throughout TI13.
Although there were early doubts about how Tundra will perform at TI13, given the incomplete roster, Tundra still proved themselves as a force to be reckoned with.
At TI13, Tundra managed to place well in the group stage to advance into the Upper Bracket of Playoffs. Then, they went on to defeat Xtreme Gaming and even the favorites, Team Falcons. They ultimately lost to Gaimin Gladiators in the semifinals, but a third-place finish at TI13 is definitely a noteworthy accomplishment.
Tundra Esports finishes third at TI13 (Image credit: Tundra Esports)
Tundra Esports’ roster changes
While the phenomenal performance should have been indicative for this line-up to stick together for another season. It seems like Tundra has other plans in mind.
The first player to be leaving the Tundra roster is the offlane player, Roman “RAMZES666” Kushnarev. However, it’s crucial to note that his departure from Tundra is not because of performance. Instead, RAMZES666 was playing for Tundra as a loaned player from L1GA, so he will be returning to his home team now that his loan period has expired.
RAMZES666 departs from Tundra Esports (Image credit: Tundra Esports)
Whereas Martin “Saksa” Sazdov, was originally benched as an inactive Tundra player, so he returns to inactivity now that TI13 is over. Tundra has not shared any further announcement regarding whether Saksa will stay in Tundra, following his high impact in Tundra’s success in TI13.
What’s next for Tundra Esports?
For Tundra Esports fans, placing third is certainly an accomplishment to be proud of. However, in a fast-pace competitive scene in Dota 2 Esports, the older a roster stays together, the easier it is for opponents to study this roster’s tactics.
Hence, a roster shuffle in Tundra is more than likely to occur, going into the upcoming season. However, it would be a shame if Tundra decides to remove Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko from their future line-up, considering how much he contributed to their success. Pure is also a loan player, but from BetBoom Team, so there’s a possibility that he might return to his home team.
