Rookie was heavily criticized by fans! After IG lost to TES, the commentator bluntly said: IG needs Rookie to carry.

In the LPL Play-In Winners' Finals, IG lost to TES 1-3, enduring another defeat. This leaves IG with just one final opportunity to advance to Worlds, where they will face the winner between WBG and JDG. The winning side will claim the fourth seed and battle T1 for a place in the S15 World Championship Swiss round. After losing to TES, IG’s official account was flooded with comments.

Comments under IG’s official post were mostly directed at Rookie, with many fans angrily criticizing him: lacking motivation, not practicing champions, picking Lulu in game four, conceding defeat before the fight even began. Since the 2020 Play-In, his performance has been like this—unable to carry or lead the pace, with very poor form! Some fans even referenced Ning’s livestream remarks, saying Ning also believes Rookie’s form is poor and that he can only compete with Scout, or even falls short compared to Scout.

LPL official commentators 957, Wang Duoduo, and Gugu also discussed IG’s defeat, stating: IG’s team composition was at a significant disadvantage. By the fourth game, the lineup IG could pick was quite limited, especially on the red side. With the opponent first picking Xin Zhao, IG chose Miss Fortune as AD, which left little room for impact. Miss Fortune had almost no chance to perform, and Lulu’s pick was rather conservative. In crucial games, Rookie still needed to bring out carry champions, and besides, Lulu and Miss Fortune don’t synergize well.

Rookie choking in the playoffs is nothing new. This year, IG invested heavily to build a star-studded roster, attracting massive attention and viewership. Despite this spotlight, his poor performance drew even harsher criticism. As a veteran, it’s unacceptable to falter in BO5 playoff matches with such an unstable mindset. He always performs well in the regular season but turns ineffective in playoffs. If IG loses again against JDG or WBG next, it might truly be Rookie’s final year, risking his legacy.

Recent consecutive BO5 losses have made many fans worried about IG’s condition, and they have little time to adjust. The new strategies shown in this match can be easily countered by opponents. For example, the Excavator pick was the only win in this BO5 series, so it depends on whether they can innovate in the coming days. From the season’s start, IG hyped their star roster, but now it’s uncertain if they can even secure the last Worlds spot. The gap is huge, and failing to qualify this year could become a major embarrassment.

So, what are your thoughts on this matter? Feel free to share and discuss in the comments below.