The Absence of Faker: T1 Adjusts Lineup Due to Injury
For over 11 years, Faker has been the star player for T1 in the game League of Legends. However, this week he was unable to join the starting lineup due to an arm injury.
Faker revealed on Sunday, July 2 that he has been experiencing arm pain for the past month and has been receiving treatment. As a result, on July 5, T1 began the second round robin of the 2023 LCK Summer Split without Faker. This was the first time in over two years that Faker was not present for a match. Unfortunately, without their star player, T1 was defeated by eighth-place DRX.
Usually, Faker has only been substituted out of T1’s lineup for strategic reasons. However, with his physical condition being the team’s priority, he was forced to take a backseat. Challenger-level substitute Poby stepped in as the new mid laner for T1.
T1 will have to wait for at least the next two weeks, according to head coach Bengi, who was also Faker’s former teammate. In the meantime, let’s take a look back at T1’s history with substitute mid laners.
When was the last time Faker was substituted out?
Faker’s position in the T1 lineup has always been secure, especially in recent years.
The absence of Faker in the lineup this week marked the first time in over two years that T1 played without him. The last time he did not start a game for T1 was on March 6, 2021, when Clozer replaced him as the mid laner. Clozer played Zoe in both games of the series against KT Rolster. According to League stats site Games of Legends, Clozer played Zoe in 13 games during his two years with T1, winning 10 of them.
In total, Clozer had a record of 24-12 in individual games played with T1, although he did not participate in any international tournaments.
Substitutes who played mid lane for T1
Aside from Clozer and Poby, only three other players have played mid lane for SKT/T1 during Faker’s era. Gori, who currently plays for Golden Guardians, played one game in 2019. Pirean, who once played for Phoenix1 in the LCS, played 19 games for SKT in 2018 during a rough year for the team.
However, the most notable substitute to ever play mid lane for T1 was Easyhoon. He played a crucial role in the team’s 2015 World Championship-winning season, appearing in 42 games and achieving a record of 34-8.
Easyhoon was often used as an alternative to Faker due to their different champion pools and playstyles. While Faker was known for flashy plays, Easyhoon excelled at control mages like Cassiopeia, Xerath, and AP Lulu, which provided more options for the team. Easyhoon’s presence often allowed another player to carry the team to victory.
After leaving SKT, Easyhoon played for Vici Gaming in China’s LPL. Since then, T1 has not found a substitute mid laner as effective as him.
When will Faker return to the lineup?
With Faker’s status uncertain, Poby may continue to play more matches. Faker is expected to return in about two weeks, possibly in time for T1’s match against Hanwha Life Esports on July 21.
In the meantime, Faker will likely miss at least three more matches, including a important match against the undefeated Gen.G on Saturday, July 8.
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