The International 2023 (TI12) is just around the corner with 20 teams vying for the ultimate glory – the coveted Aegis of the Immortal – and etch their names as the Dota 2 world champions. Today, we take a look at the most promising carry players competing at The International 2023 (TI12). These individuals have carved a name for themselves and are known to elevate their respective teams to a tier above others. Let’s dive in, shall we? Here are the top 3 carry players to look out for at TI12!  

Michael “miCKe” Vu

There is no doubt about Micke being one of the most talented players in the game especially in the carry role. Micke’s mechanical skills are second to none with only a select few having the capabilities to match his innate prowess. Team Liquid, more often than not, count on the young Swedish prodigy to get them out of difficult situations. When his back is against the wall, Micke thrives, especially when it comes to map awareness amid chaotic pressure. In the last twelve months, he has played 290 games boasting a 65% win rate and 5.64 KDA (Kills/Deaths/Assists). Although ‘true’ success has eluded Micke and Team Liquid for quite some time. Despite performing exceptionally well, Micke has five 2nd place finishes in premier tournaments, and a third place finish at TI11 the previous year Will Micke’s string of second place finish come to an end at TI12? Let’s hope for the best.  

Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk

In the truest of essence Yatoro is the spirit of Team Spirit. Afterall, he won The International 10 with Team Spirit on the back of a solid performance throughout the tournament – winning millions of dollars in prize money. He’s a lethal adversary to each of his opponents. Aggressive gameplay, steadfast map awareness, ability to scale and outfarm his enemies and taking critical decisions at crucial junctures – all these qualities make him a true star. Let’s not forget that he played 14 different heroes over 20 games during his team's incredible run at TI10 that crowned them as champions. Let’s add versatility to the list as well, eh? Yatoro and Team Spirit have come online at the most opportune time. After an underwhelming DPC year, they lifted two consecutive trophies – Riyadh Masters 2023 and DreamLeague Season 21 – winning $5,000,000 and $300,000 respectively. That’s more than what Gaimin Gladiators has earned despite winning every Dota 2 Major in the current DPC year. All of the above, coupled with the fact that Yatoro averages a 61% win rate in the past year, makes Team Spirit extremely scary. It would be fair to say that Team Spirit is one of the favourites and Yatoro as one of the top 3 carry players to look out for at TI12.  

Nuengnara “23Savage” Teeramahanon

Including 23Savage into the list might be more of a bias but his growth as a competitive Dota 2 player has been remarkable. The young Thai player has two impressive feats to his name – being the first player to reach 12,000 and 13,000 MMR in 2021 and 2022, respectively. From being an inconsistent but talented sapling to becoming a player Talon Esports can depend on, 23Savage has evolved in true sense. The growth and consistency he has shown over the years is simply inspiring and his accolades speak for themselves. Talon were the first SEA team to qualify for TI12, securing a third place finish at the Lima Major 2023 and Riyadh Masters 2023, and a fourth place finish at DreamLeague Season 20. They also bear the heavy burden of overwhelming expectations from the SEA fans of bringing the Aegis the region has long awaited but hasn’t been able to witness it even once. He’s definitely one of the top 3 carry players to look out for at The International 2023.

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