Elephant shifts roster after rough DPC finish

Chinese superteam Elephant have finalized a player trade with Royal Never Give Up. Position 5 breakout Ru "RedPanda" Zhihao has been transferred in exchange for Xie "Super" Junhao. The move comes right after a disappointing seventh-place finish at i-League.

Speculation about Xu “fy” Linsen’s supersquad enveloped the Chinese Dota scene weeks before they debuted. The final roster is truly as star-studded as they come, with Zhang "Eurus" Chengjun and Lu "Somnus" Yao on midlane and carry. However, the squad has disappointed fans at both Dota Pro Circuit seasons. They failed to earn a slot at The Singapore Major or The AniMajor.

RedPanda was the least recognizable player on Elephant at the time of their debut, but his aggressive supporting style has earned him fans across the globe. He had previously made a name for himself on Sparking Arrow Gaming’s breakout 2020 roster alongside Zhong "GodKing" Liushuai and Chong “FelixCiaoBa” Wei Lun. He’ll reunite with both players on RNG.

Super is almost the opposite of RedPanda. The former is one of the most experienced players in China while the latter was practically still a rookie. The Guangdong native has previously played for several prestigious banners including Team DK, Vici Gaming, and LGD.Forever Young. His tenure on LFY produced a career high point of third place at The International 2017.

It’s hard to believe that Super will turn things around. Hard support is the least impactful role, and there’s no way fy will relinquish his captainship. However, Super brings a new playmaking element to the roster. RedPanda preferred defensive Heroes like Abaddon, Grimstroke, and Treant Protector. Super would rather kill enemy Heroes than save his teammates, so Lion, Ancient Apparition, and Snapfire form his core identity.

Expect to see the Elephant roster debut at The International 10 Chinese qualifiers.