The Bakyt era has come to an end. Natus Vincere officially confirmed the rumors by releasing an announcement about the replacement of the captain in the Dota 2 roster — Zayac is leaving the team. Kazakh esports player Tamir “daze” Tokpanov will now have to steer the updated squad (a post with permutations has already been dropped in all social networks of the club).
Bakyt has been performing under the yellow and black banners since November 2023 — and, frankly, it was a very solid stretch for the tag. It was he who dragged NAVI to The International 2025. The club has not appeared at the main tournament of the year for six long years — and even though the team finished only in 15th position, the very fact of the long-awaited comeback is worth a lot. In addition, the roaster took silver at BLAST Slam VI and steadily maintained his registration in the world top 10.
In a farewell statement, the management parted with the player on the warmest possible note. The management thanked the ex-cap for the harsh grind on the tier-1 stage and those tough int battles. What’s next? Let’s see how quickly the new leader builds team chemistry.
Moreover, they plan to build her “yellow-black” around her own pupil.
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Why daze is the Perfect boost for NAVI in Dota 2
Daze’s experience in OG and PGL Wallachia LAN Tournaments
Tamir “daze” Tokpanov is never a casual stand—up for a couple of tournaments. The club transfers the guy to the main roster straight from the NAVI Junior academic circuit and puts him in the most important support position. By the way, after leaving the youth team, he didn’t waste any time: he managed to ride for OG, gained valuable experience at two PGL Wallachia LAN events and took a pack of online caps. So the young talent has not only a bare theory in his piggy bank, but also the densest tier-1 practice on the pro scene.
The role of the fourth position and daze’s playing style
If you dig into the player’s profile, we have the classic “four” in front of us. They don’t expect highlights and crazy damage figures from daze — his task is to plow through the macro game. Timely smokes, competent warding and de-warding, rune control and instant save teleporters into a fight are his main bread. And here dry metrics come to the fore: KDA, GPM, XPM, the width of the hero pool and reinforced concrete stability on the liner. Such rough work is often invisible to the viewer (which is quite logical) — but it is she who decides whether Kerry will live up to her key timings.
Will this move work? The chances are extremely high, because a beginner does not fly into the void, but into a built—up system. The current squad knows perfectly well how to win back protracted series and strangle an opponent with icy discipline, rather than randomness on the map. The management openly labeled the support staff “graduated from our academy” — and this is a sure sign that management is focused on distance. It seems that the team is building a foundation for the years ahead, and not just patching up a sudden hole in the squad.
Current NAVI Dota 2 roster in 2026
The organization has already recorded a fresh line-up, with which it will break into the upcoming qualifiers and tier-1 events:
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Taras “gotthejuice” Linnikov;
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Artyom “Niku” Bachkur;
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Yuri “pma” Prots;
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Tamir “daze” Tokpanov;
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Stanislav “Riddys” Mitroshkin.
Mentor Aske “Cy-” Larsen is still responsible for tactics, drafts and the training process.
