MS Dhoni and not Steve Smith was the reason behind Rising Pune Supergiants making the IPL 2017 final, said ex RPS cricketer Rajat Bhatia. MS Dhoni was playing for the now-defunct RPS franchise back then. It was also the time when Chennai Super Kings were serving their two-year ban from the IPL due to match-fixing charges imposed on them by the BCCI.

Meanwhile, former RPS all-rounder Rajat Bhatia, in an interview with Sports Tiger made a big revelation. Bhatia said that the Rising Pune Supergiant made it to the final of the IPL 2017 because of Dhoni and not because of Steve Smith.

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RPS Made It To The Final Because Of MS Dhoni: Rajat Bhatia

“For me, a successful captain in IPL is one who is an Indian player and know the domestic cricketers very well. Smith didn’t even know Rahul Tripathi represents which state or bats at what position. We [Rising Pune Supergiant] made it to IPL 2017 final because of MS Dhoni and not Steve Smith,” Bhatia said.

In a crunch final Mumbai Indians won the game by 1 run against Rising Pune Supergiant as it was a heartbreak for the latter. Meanwhile, MS Dhoni was back with CSK in IPL 2018 and won their third title in their comeback season.

In 2019 again they made it to the finals and lst out to Mumbai Indians yet again. MS Dhoni’s CSK however failed to make it to the IPL playoffs for the first time in 2020.

With several members of the team aging above 35, the side has problems compared to the other teams with younger players. The likes of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh also did not play for the franchise last season. While Raina was retained, Harbhajan was released and later picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2021 player auction. CSK play their IPL 2021 campaign opener against Delhi Capitals in Mumbai on April 10.

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