Cover-Credits:
Sumail "SumaiL" Hassan, the mid-lane player for Nigma Galaxy, has been playing for Team Aster as a stand-in at The Berlin Major 2023. The Chinese team moved their regular mid-laner Zhai "xwy" Jingkai to the inactive roster, and SumaiL was brought in as a replacement. For one of the most storied players in Dota 2, it had been a long time since he had made an appearance at the main stages of a Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) Major, with his last one being with Team Liquid as a stand-in for the WePlay AniMajor in June 2021, after which he joined forces with OG to play The International 10 in 2021. Nigma Galaxy was an emergency replacement for PSG.LGD at Dreamleague Season 19 when the team couldn't get a visa on time. Despite potential communication issues, SumaiL has performed well with Team Aster, managing to qualify for the playoffs of The Berlin Major with a record of 8-8 in the group stages, placing 5th.
Communication Issues: Teamfighting and Spellcasting
SumaiL has recently talked about the language barriers he faced while playing with Team Aster. He acknowledged that certain aspects of the game, such as objective calls, had been easy to communicate. However, he found clutch moments, such as team fighting and spellcasting, to be a little difficult.
"We're 90% confident, let's see what happens. I think the bigger parts of the game, objective calls have been really simple. But clutch moments, such as team fighting or spellcasting and stuff have been a little difficult." he said.
When asked about whether the team had been learning to play together as the tournament goes on, SumaiL agreed, "Yeah, you just gotta use the Dota knowledge to actually decide how to team fight without saying much because, in team fights, there is so much to be said," SumaiL added to his response.
Communication Strategies: Using the Chat Wheel
SumaiL also talked about how he communicated with Team Aster in another interview. "I went home, and then I got a message from Mo that Aster might want to play with me. I said okay, I wanna play the Major, it's been like 2 years. I say Jia You then we have to go in, and then I use “Get Back” on the chat wheel, and then we have to get back. And when I mistake, I use “Sorry” on the chat wheel." SumaiL said.
Despite the language barriers, Team Aster has had an impressive performance at The Berlin Major. They have played well with a non-Chinese speaking stand-in, SumaiL, and will proceed to compete from the Lower Brackets of the playoffs. The team's ability to adapt and perform well despite the challenges they have faced is a testament to their skill and professionalism. SumaiL has proven himself to be an asset to the team, demonstrating his ability to work through communication barriers and work with his teammates effectively.
