Steve Smith to heavily rely' on MS Dhoni's experience at Rising Pune Supergiants

Mumbai: With ace-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin out of the Rising Pune Supergiant team, newly appointed captain Steven Smith will heavily "rely" on the former skipper Mahendra Singh (MS) Dhoni, according to the family of 28-year-old Australian.

Ashwin has been ruled out of the major matches due to the recent sports hernia and may play only a few games, that too only if recovers before the end of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017.

Speaking exclusively over his mobile from Australia, Smith's father, Peter Smith said, "MS Dhoni has a vast wealth of experience in the IPL and international cricket. I am sure he will be one of the senior players on whom Steven will rely for tactical input throughout the game.

"It is a great privilege to be asked to captain any side. The Supergiants franchise has a number of good international and Indian players and it would be very exciting to have the opportunity to lead them," senior Smith added.

Smith's dad, however, refused to comment on the team owners' decision to replace Dhoni.

"The decision to replace MS Dhoni with Steven is one made by the franchise owners and not a decision on which I should comment," he said.

The Rising Pune Supergiants kick off their 2017 IPL campaign against Maharashtra rivals Mumbai Indians in Pune, on Thursday.