Team Secret has officially revealed its revamped Dota 2 lineup, introducing four emerging players from Mongolia, Russia, and Belarus who will join the legendary Clement “Puppey” Ivanov. With this fresh roster, the team is also shifting its competitive focus from Western Europe to Eastern Europe, hoping to bounce back from a challenging 2024 season.
The roster changes, announced on November 10, bring in Mongolian talents Bilguun “423” Altanginj as the carry and Batsaikhan “seimei” Munkhjin in the offlane. Joining them are Aleksey “Ainkrad” Diveevskiy from Belarus as the midlaner, and Misha “Kyzko” Galkin from Russia taking up the position 4 support role. Meanwhile, Puppey will continue as Team Secret’s captain and position 5 support.
This lineup highlights Secret’s commitment to nurturing up-and-coming talent. 423 and Ainkrad bring the most experience to the team—423, aged 21, has previously competed in Southeast Asia with teams like Lilgun, IHC Esports, and Execration, while 25-year-old Ainkrad spent the past two years with One Move. For seimei and Kyzko, Secret represents their first foray into the upper echelons of competitive Dota 2. The move shows Puppey’s faith in this new generation of players as he rebuilds a team that struggled to find stability throughout 2024.
Source: Team Secret
Secret’s 2024 season was marked by roster instability and missed tournament qualifications. Early in the year, the team shuffled players, benching Yeik “MidOne” Nai Zheng and Daniyal “yamich” Lazebnyy in favor of Teng “Kordan” Tjin Yao and Marcel “Ekki” Hołowienko. However, the changes didn’t improve Secret’s results; the team placed 11th-12th in DreamLeague Season 22 and failed to qualify for major events like BetBoom Dacha Dubai 2024 and ESL One Birmingham 2024. By mid-year, the lineup saw further departures, with Miroslav “BOOM” Bičan, Remco “Crystallis” Arets, and Kordan leaving after failing to qualify for The International 2024.
Later attempts to assemble a stable lineup were also unsuccessful. Team Secret competed in the Western European qualifier for PGL Wallachia Season 2 with temporary stand-ins, including Kyzko, alongside Puppey. Although they fell short, finishing third in the qualifier, Kyzko’s performance was promising enough to secure him a spot on the new roster.
The new lineup will debut in the Eastern European open qualifiers for ESL One Bangkok 2024 on November 11, aiming to progress through to the closed qualifier on November 15. This tournament marks an opportunity for Team Secret to regain its footing and return to form under Puppey’s experienced leadership.
