IPL 2023: 'The way MS Dhoni helped me, guided me was incredible, he's terrific,' says Steve Smith
IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals set to bring in Bengal keeper Abhishek Porel as Rishabh Pant's replacement
Elaborating further on his first thoughts after getting approached for the leadership role, Smith said he didnt believe in the first place and instead asked them if they had spoken with MS Dhoni about the same.
However, upon accepting the role and having succeeded in leading his team to the finals, which they lost against Mumbai Indians, Smith said he had Dhoni's back and that the former India captain was wonderful throughout - something he cannot thank him enough for.
"Yeah, I didn't really 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 a little bit shocked at first, and then I didn't really know what to say. It was like, have you spoken to MS about this? This is a little bit strange from my side, but after we sorted everything out, MS was just wonderful, he said.
"And the way he helped me and helped guide that team that year was incredible. And yeah, I couldn't thank him enough," Steve Smith added.
Smith, who recently led Australia to the ODI series win over India, also said MS Dhonis nature of remaining cool and calm in almost situation inspired him to such an extent that Smith acquired that trait, not only for that season but for the future as well.
"I think just the calmness that MS shows; we saw it throughout his career, just how calm he was. It didn't look like he was flustered by any emotions or anything like that. "And that's certainly something that 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, Smith said.
And you know, at times I can get quite agitated and things like that. So you know, I have to try and keep myself as calm and as sort of level-headed as I can. And yeah, that's certainly something that I learned off of MS," Smith concluded.
Meanwhile, back to captaining Chennai Super Kings the following year, MS Dhoni guided his team to the third IPL title, beating SunRisers Hyderabad in the finals. Now Dhoni will lead his CSK franchise in IPL 2023 as they start their campaign against defending champions Gujarat Titans on March 31st.
Thursday, March 30, 2023 at 5:33 am