Former South African captain Faf du Plessis has revealed that Rising Pune Supergiant (RPSG) players were left in shock after franchise owner Sanjeev Goenka decided to remove MS Dhoni as captain ahead of the 2017 IPL season. The unexpected decision saw Steve Smith take over the leadership role, despite having limited experience as a captain at the time.
Speaking on an ESPNcricinfo show while discussing Smith’s leadership qualities, du Plessis praised the Australian for handling the challenging situation and guiding RPSG to the IPL 2017 final. He also highlighted the difficulty of leading a team with Dhoni, one of the most successful captains in IPL history, serving as his deputy.
“MS Dhoni was removed as captain of Rising Pune Supergiants after the end of the 2016 IPL season, and that’s the biggest move you can make in a tournament of that stature,” Faf du Plessis said. He explained that the franchise had struggled to win matches, prompting Goenka to make the major leadership change. “Everyone was shocked after that call,” the former South African skipper added.
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Smith was still developing his leadership credentials when he was handed the responsibility of captaining the franchise. However, he responded impressively, steering RPSG through the tournament and taking them within touching distance of the IPL trophy.
“It was tough having MS Dhoni as your number two there, especially after he’d just been removed as captain. Smith led the team to the final, and we lost that final, which we should have won. We were that close,” Faf du Plessis recalled.
He further suggested that winning the final would have made Smith an IPL-winning captain in his very first season in charge, underlining the Australian’s achievement despite the pressure surrounding the decision.
Dhoni had already established himself as one of the IPL’s most successful captains, having guided Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to two titles before his stint with RPSG. His removal sparked questions about the franchise’s confidence in his leadership abilities.
However, Dhoni answered his critics emphatically after returning to CSK in 2018. He went on to lead the Chennai-based franchise to three more IPL titles, further strengthening his legacy as one of the tournament’s greatest captains.
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Goenka was asked about Dhoni’s removal during an interview with Shubhankar Mishra earlier in 2026. The franchise owner suggested that decisions made in a particular situation should be understood in their original context. “See, people don’t know how some decisions are taken at a particular time — why, how, and with whom,” Goenka said, adding that the incident had little relevance after nearly a decade.
He also dismissed suggestions of personal differences, stating that he shared a strong bond with Dhoni and that their families were close.
