NAVI part ways with Zayac after two years, daze steps in

NAVI has tweaked its Dota 2 roster ahead of a crucial stretch of tournament qualifiers.

As teams head into the most crucial period of the Dota 2 season, with marquee events such as The International (TI) 2026 and the Esports World Cup just months away, Natus Vincere (NAVI) have made their first major roster move.

The Eastern European organisation has parted ways with team captain Bakyt “Zayac” Emilzhanov after more than two years together. Taking over his position four role is a familiar young talent, Tamir “daze” Tokpanov, who began his competitive career with their academy team Natus Vincere Junior in 2022 before departing in late 2024, and most notably spent the last season with OG.

What is NAVI’s new roster?

Zayac departs NAVI after two years

Kyrgyz support veteran Zayac spent nearly three years within NAVI, alternating between the main roster and NAVI Junior. He notably guided the academy squad to strong results, eventually leading to their promotion into the main line-up ahead of TI 2025.

With Zayac now out of NAVI, fans are speculating about his next destination. Early guesses suggest a possible move to MOUZ, who recently parted ways with their captain Melchior “Seleri” Hillenkamp following his retirement.

Could daze be the missing piece for NAVI?

NAVI’s decision to bring in daze may raise some eyebrows, as he will be stepping into the shoes of a far more experienced player.

However, this move could represent a high-risk, high-reward strategy as NAVI attempt to break out of a period of stagnation. The team have shown gradual improvement in results, but not at a pace fast enough to make a significant impact.

In 2025, NAVI edged into the Tier 1 scene, though results remained underwhelming, with Top 6 and Top 8 finishes at best in BLAST Slam events and scattered bottom placements. The first half of the 2026 season brought only modest progress, including a runner-up finish at BLAST Slam VI, followed by consecutive early eliminations. These inconsistent results likely prompted the organisation to make a change ahead of the upcoming world championship window.

It remains to be seen how NAVI will perform with their new roster during the upcoming qualifiers, and whether Daze can provide the spark the team needs to finally find consistent results.