Aurora coach: Wicadia mastered grenades after prep shift

Ashley “ash” Battye, coach of Aurora, reported that rifler Ali “Wicadia” Haydar Yalçın has shifted his focus to preparation and learned a full set of grenade lineups after previously using them rarely. Battye linked the change to Aurora’s 2-0 win over 9z on day one of ESL Pro League Season 24 in Katowice on March 10, 2026.

Battye described Wicadia’s development as both tactical and mental. The coach said Wicadia now pays close attention in practice, can execute grenade setups reliably and has begun reminding teammates of specific tactics during matches. Battye contrasted that with Wicadia’s earlier profile, when the player seldom threw grenades, and said the rifler has grown more comfortable with team communication since joining the international roster.

The coach connected Wicadia’s progress with other roster trends. Battye pointed to Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo’s return to strong form and Aurora’s second-place finish at StarSeries as indicators the lineup is stabilizing. He said the victory over 9z was important because Aurora had not yet shown consistent strength on some maps and needed a result against a top opponent.

On the balance of roles within the team, Battye highlighted Salo’s self-sufficiency on CT sides and said that creates space for Wicadia to take on different tasks. He noted Ismailcan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş often feels pressure to carry results and that part of Battye’s job is to help reduce that burden and encourage a steadier match approach. Battye reported he has worked more closely with younger players so far and expects to address XANTARES’ role as the season continues.

Battye also raised concerns about how widely available practice demos and shared setups affect the competitive environment. He said teams can find a tactic in practice and then other sides adopt it quickly once demos are accessible, which reduces the element of surprise and can make the meta more predictable. He described the spread of practice setups as a challenge for teams that want to retain unique options.

Direct quotes from the coach highlighted the changes. Battye said, “I’m kind of blown away by it, as a guy that wouldn’t throw any grenades, he knows them all now, and he’s actually reminding people, saying, ‘Yeah, we’re doing this, this, this.'” He added that Wicadia’s mental improvement in preparation has been “massive.” On XANTARES, Battye recalled the player telling him, “One of the first things he says is that for us to win and be successful, he has to bring his game up,” and said he is working to ease that pressure.

Aurora’s international roster currently lists Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo, Ali “Wicadia” Haydar Yalçın, Ismailcan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş and Özgür “woxic” Eker. Battye said improved preparation, clearer roles and the players’ willingness to adapt are part of the team’s approach as the ESL Pro League season continues.

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