Faker is finally back in T1’s starting lineup for the 2023 LCK Summer Split after missing a month due to a hand injury, and he has already contributed to the team’s success. His unexpected inclusion in the starting lineup for T1’s game against Kwangdong Freecs on August 2 was revealed by the organisation. The team’s surprising 2-0 triumph in the series itself served as a reminder to LCK fans of how dominating T1 is with Faker.
“After a thorough discussion with the coaching staff and Faker based on medical prognosis, he made the decision to return starting with today’s match against KDF,” T1 said on social media.
In the match, T1 swiftly dominated KDF, though Faker himself wasn’t the main driving force behind victory. He played solidly and didn’t fall behind, while also delivering enormous damage in teamfights.
More importantly, the rest of T1 looked completely different, clearly given a confidence boost with the return of their star player. They once again dominated the early game and played with no hesitation, similar to how they performed back when Faker was a part of their roster prior to the injury.
The game marked Faker’s first competitive match since July 2, when he helped T1 take down Nongshim RedForce in week four. In the following week of competition, the organization announced the 27-year-old would be taking some time off due to a wrist injury and was replaced by academy midlaner Poby.
During Faker’s absence, T1 performed horribly. In the span of four weeks, they won just one game with Poby on the starting roster. Luckily, they still managed to secure a spot in the playoffs but have since fallen to fifth place.
Despite the injury, Faker continued to help T1 from behind the scenes. The midlaner sat in for scrims, boosting morale and providing feedback after wins and losses according to T1 jungler Oner.