'Was a great experience to captain Dhoni, but also very daunting' - Smith on leading RPS in IPL 2017
Steven Smith had led Rising Pune Supergiant in IPL 2017, helping the side finish as runner-up. While it was the only season when MS Dhoni did not captain the side, Smith has revealed that it was both a great experience and a daunting task.
FollowAustralian star Steve Smith says captaining MS Dhoni in the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL) was "a little bit daunting", but he also learned to be calm and level-headed by spending time with the Indian great. That season, Smith led the Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) squad featuring Dhoni, as former four-time champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) was serving a two-year ban from the competition.
Smith, who will be part of the commentary team in the upcoming season, led the franchise to the tournament final in 2017, narrowly missing out on the title by just a run. Recalling his experiences of captaining the RPS and how Dhoni played a significant role in that season, Smith told Star Sports, "When I got the call to say that they wanted me to captain, it was a little bit daunting. But, that season, MSD was just incredible. He helped in any way he could and is a terrific guy. It was a great experience to captain him but also very daunting."
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Smith also spoke on the emotions he went through when he was picked as the captain of the RPS team and how he felt leading a side with Dhoni in it. "Yeah, I didn't know what to expect initially, you know, MS had captained every team he played for, obviously throughout the IPL with Chennai, every season, should I say."
"But yeah, when they came and asked me, I was slightly shocked at first, and then, I didn't know what to say. Have you spoken to MS about this? It is strange from my side, but after we sorted everything out, MS was just fantastic. And how he helped me and helped guide that team that year was incredible. And yeah, I couldn't thank him enough," added Smith.
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Smith said he was bouncing ideas off Dhoni. "He was someone that I was bouncing ideas off. Being behind the stumps, you know he has a great view of the game. He understands the angles well, and playing in India also, you know, it's his home, and he understands those conditions as well as anyone would."
The Australian further spoke about what he has been able to learn and emulate from Dhoni over the years. "The calmness that MS shows, we saw throughout his career, just how calm he was. It didn't look like any emotions, or anything flustered him. And that's certainly something I've taken in not just in that season but just watching him go about his business in the prior years, just how calm and relaxed he was. And, you know, at times, I can get quite agitated and things like that. So, I have to try and keep myself as calm and levelheaded as possible. And yeah, that's certainly something I learned from MS," he concluded.
(With inputs from PTI)
