After stepping down as India’s limited overs skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been removed as captain of the Indian Premier League franchise Rising Pune Supergiants.
With the auction set to take place in Bengaluru on Monday, the franchise announced that Australia skipper Steve Smith will take over the reins from Dhoni.
Speaking to CricketNext, owner Sanjiv Goenka said that Smith would be leading the team in the upcoming edition.
“Steve Smith will lead the side this season. Frankly speaking, we did not have a good last season and we wanted someone young to lead the side and revamp it ahead of the upcoming season 10,” he said.
"I have the highest regard for MS Dhoni as a leader and a person. Dhoni continues to be an integral member of our team. He is supportive of the decision keeping the franchise's best interest in mind."
Dhoni had joined the new franchise last season after plying his trade for Chennai Super Kings for the first eight seasons. In fact, it was due to the suspension of CSK that Pune came into the league as there was place for two new teams after Chennai and Rajasthan Royals’s two-year suspension.
While Goenka has said that he wasn’t too happy with the team’s showing in 2016, a major reason for the debacle was injuries to star players. Kevin Pietersen, Faf du Plessis and Steven Smith had all withdrawn from the tournament due to injuries.
Rumours have it that the management wasn’t too happy with Dhoni’s leadership as the team failed to rise to the occasion in their first season and finished seventh even as the other newcomers, Gujarat Lions, put up a good show.
Removed as skipper for the first time in his career, Dhoni has been one of the most successful captains in the history of the cash-rich league.
Starting off as the leader of Chennai Super Kings in 2008, Dhoni led them to title wins in 2010 and 2011. The Chennai outfit also won the now defunct Champions League T20 tournament in 2010 and 2014.
Source:CricketNext
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