Australian star Steve Smith says captaining MS Dhoni in the 2017 IPL was "a little bit daunting" but he also learned to be calm and level-headed by spending time with the Indian great. In that season, Smith led the Rising Pune Super Giants squad that also featured Dhoni season, as Chennai Super Kings were 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 finals of the tournament in 2017, narrowly missing out on the title by just one run. Recalling his experiences of captaining the RPS and how Dhoni played a big 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 wonderful. You know, he helped in any way that he could and, he's a terrific guy. "It was a great experience being able to captain him, but also very daunting as well." 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.