I’ve learned to be calm and level-headed because of Dhoni: Steve Smith

TIL Desk Sports/ When the reigns of captaincy were handed over to Steve Smith ahead of the 2017 edition of the IPL, the spotlight was on how the Australian cricketer would lead a side that had MS Dhoni, one of the most successful IPL captains, as its member.

However, with the constant support and guidance of Dhoni, Smith successfully led the franchise to the finals of the tournament, narrowly missing out on the title by just one run. Now, as Smith returns to the IPL 2023 as part of the expert panel on Star Sports, he fondly recollects his experiences of working with Dhoni and leading a team with the legendary Indian cricketer as his teammate.

In an interview with Star Sports, Smith spoke about his experience of captaining the Rising Pune Supergiants in the 2017 IPL and the significant role played by former Indian skipper MS Dhoni in that season.

Smith, who was initially daunted by the idea of leading a team that had Dhoni in it, expressed his gratitude towards the legendary cricketer for his guidance and support on and off the field. He also spoke about the valuable lessons he learned from Dhoni’s calm and composed demeanor, which he has since tried to emulate in his own leadership style.