Cover-Credits:
One of the most famous Russian Dota 2 livestreamers, Aleksandr "Nix" Levin, has voiced criticism towards Team Aster’s midlaner Sumail "SumaiL" Hassan. During a recent Twitch livestream, Nix said SumaiL is a "dead player" who has not grown as a professional and still plays the same as he did years ago. It does not seem like he has been able to develop new playstyles or expand the hero pool in comparison with other emerging midlaners, he added. In Nix's opinion, SumaiL has to adapt and move on from his old skills.
As part of Team Aster, SumaiL recently competed in The International 12 (TI12) regional qualifiers but unexpectedly lost to Team Bright in the lower bracket quarterfinals.
Nix raises concerns about SumaiL’s performance
As Nix criticized SumaiL quite forthrightly, he added that his playstyle has gone mundane even though he is one of his favorite players. According to Nix, SumaiL seems to play the game more like a job these days.
"I think SumaiL is a dead player because he has absolutely no development. He's trying to play like he did a decade ago. No new heroes added to the pool, no new playstyle learned, nothing simple. Trying to ride out some of his old skills. It's an indicator that the man plays Dota like [going] to work. Even though he's one of my favorite players. But it's a fact: watching him, you don't feel any emotion, his game doesn't shine.”
In order to further emphasize the point that SumaiL is not able to add more heroes to his pool, Nix compared him to 9pandas' 19 year old emerging midlaner Gleb "kiyotaka" Zyryanov who has adapted to micro-intensive heroes like Meepo and Broodmother when the meta required, signifying growth.
[Question: Windranger and Snapfire didn't SumaiL start peaking?] Windranger, he peaked because he's been playing it his whole life, they made it Universal, and he [again] started taking it. It's his hero. For example, take conditional kiyotaka: the man played Meepo when it was the most imba midrange in the patch. That's the real pro level in my mind. There's Invoker, Broodmother, there's a bunch of heroes being played. I remember when Marci was in the meta, [kiyotaka] played it, he started playing Timbersaw, which he hadn't played before. It's something to be surprised about, you know? You can see that he's developing, growing.”
According to Nix, it is time for SumaiL to grow with Dota 2's evolving metas, or else he will struggle to find the success he has had in the past.
"SumaiL is standing in the same place, trying to ride on his old skills, and it's not enough already. Adapt or die, as they say, "Dota" has rebuilt itself. If you're not adapting, but trying to cling to the past, you're not going to succeed. Again, working hard isn't just matchmaking pushing.”
[transcription via cybersport.ru, translation via DeepL Translate]
SumaiL has had to strive for decent outcomes in his professional career following his departure from Evil Geniuses after TI9. His tenure with OG peaked at TI10, when the team finished 7th - 8th, but it has been an overall difficult three years for the TI5 winner, despite playing on teams such as OG, Nigma Galaxy, Team Secret, and Team Aster.
There were moments during his time at Team Aster when it seemed the team was on the cusp of becoming a formidable opponent but the transformation never truly occurred. Following its inability to qualify for TI12, Aster has also withdrawn from BetBoom Dacha set for September 2023 due to internal concerns. As such, it remains to be seen if SumaiL and Aster will continue to play together.
