New Delhi, Oct 29
Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has recalled the shock surrounding MS Dhoni’s removal as captain of Rising Pune Supergiants after the 2016 Indian Premier League season, saying Steve Smith handled the difficult situation well and guided the team to the final in his first season as skipper.
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s programme *Cricketers on Cricketers*, du Plessis said the franchise’s decision to replace Dhoni, one of the most successful captains in the tournament’s history, had surprised the players.
“Everyone was shocked after that call,” du Plessis said, recalling how the team’s owner decided to make the change after a disappointing run of results. Smith was appointed captain despite having limited experience in the leadership role.
Du Plessis said Smith faced a particularly challenging situation because Dhoni remained part of the team after losing the captaincy. Managing a side that included the former skipper required composure, but Smith guided Rising Pune to the 2017 IPL final. The team narrowly missed out on the title.
Du Plessis said a victory in the final would have made Smith an IPL-winning captain after just one season in charge, underlining the achievement of reaching the title clash amid the circumstances.
Former Australia opener Aaron Finch also reflected on Smith’s transformation as a cricketer. Initially viewed as a leg-spin bowling all-rounder who batted lower down the order, Smith developed into one of the world’s leading batters after simplifying his technique and making significant progress in Test cricket.
Finch praised Smith’s ability to move up the batting order and establish himself in Australia’s top four. He also said the removal of captaincy responsibilities following the 2018 ball-tampering scandal appeared to allow Smith to concentrate more fully on his own game when he returned to international cricket.