Ceb reveals why SumaiL was kicked from OG Dota 2 team

Steven Rondina Published 03/08/2020

Syed “SumaiL” Hassan is one of the most talented Dota 2 players in the world. So why was he kicked from OG just months after joining the TI championship team?

Dota 2 fans have been asking that question for a few weeks now, but they finally have an answer. Sebastian “Ceb” Debs, the player who replaced SumaiL on OG’s roster, discussed the move in an interview with RuHub.

“As an American he wouldn’t be allowed to enter Europe still. That’s probably gonna be the case for some months…There are a lot of problems,” Ceb said.

Following SumaiL’s departure, OG will be playing with the following lineup:

Yeik “MidOne” Nai Zheng
Topias Miikka “Topson” Taavitsainen
Sébastien “Ceb” Debs
Martin “Saksa” Sazdov
Johan “N0tail” Sundstein

Further reading:

Ceb nixes possible SumaiL vs. OG drama with revelation

SumaiL’s release from OG led to widespread speculation regarding why he was removed from the team.

Travel restrictions were among the most popular theories, as was network troubles stemming from SumaiL playing in European events while living in the United States. Fans also wondered if SumaiL was having trouble adjusting to the carry position, or if he had been having trouble with his teammates on an interpersonal level.

Instead, OG is just looking to increase its efforts towards preparation. This requires the team to actually coalesce and boot camp as a unit, something that SumaiL was still unable to do.

Even with Ceb returning to replace SumaiL, things haven’t gone entirely smoothly for OG. Though MidOne was able to make the trek from Malaysia to Portugal, Saksa is still playing with the team remotely from his native Macedonia. This is because Macedonia isn’t part of the European Union. This required Saksa to apply for a visa, which has been causing issues for the team.

OG prepping for Omega League while SumaiL left in limbo

OG is rededicating itself to Dota 2 as the online era of the game starts getting more serious. Though the scene has been very active over the last few months, these events have been largely inconsequential.

Bootcamp mood ????#DreamOG pic.twitter.com/2Jvw6zAMs9
— OG (@OGesports) July 27, 2020

That’s set to change later this month with the Omega League. The event itself doesn’t have any defined significance, but it boasts a $500,000 prize pool that puts the events that have taken place over recent months to shame.

Not long after the Omega League will be official Dota 2 regional leagues, which will become an official part of the Dota Pro Circuit. These carry a much greater weight due to their significance in qualifying for The International 10.

WIth proper preparation, OG will be a serious contender on the European circuit. At the same time, SumaiL’s future is uncertain but odds are he will find his way back to the North American scene.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

View full profile