As the Pune franchise Rising Pune Supergiant is alls et to play finals against Mumbai Indians in Hyderabad, former Indian Captain Mohammad Azharuddin has lashed out at RPS owner for sacking MS Dhoni as captain at the beginning of the IPL 10 and named Steve Smith as the captain for their last season in IPL.

Azharuddin still holds on to his opinion though that the manner in which MS Dhoni was stripped of Pune captaincy was in poor taste. However, a visibly successful working relationship between former skipper Dhoni and his successor Steve Smith, Rising Pune Supergiant have booked themselves a place in IPL 10 final.

The combination of Steve Smith and MS Dhoni has worked wonders till now and Smith has been benefited from the suggestions given by Dhoni. Despite Dhoni having been a part of an unprecedented six IPL finals in the past, Azhar thinks he will have a point to prove in this one.

Azhar felt despite RPS performing poorly last year, the removal of MS Dhoni was not in good taste. “Dhoni has always won as captain. Now he may want to win as a player. Try to prove that I can win even when I am just a player,” Azhar has quoted.

Azhar, like others, has been left impressed with the way the two statesmen Dhoni and Smith have overcome the transfer of baton without much discomfort. “Once you are not a captain, you move on. I was not in favor of his sacking. But now Smith and Dhoni have created a good rapport. They have gelled well that’s when the team has delivered,” he said.

Going by their current form, the man from Hyderabad tipped Pune to lift the IPL title. “I think Pune will win. The playoff they won against Mumbai will be a big confidence booster. Ben Stokes will be missed though. But the way Dhoni is playing with those 40 runs he got in the last two overs, he can help them win the final,” Azhar concluded.

Dhoni was very much helpful to the RPS team to win the Qualifier-1 against Mumbai Indians. Let us wait and see what happens, whether Azharuddin’s prediction and wish would succeed or not. Both RPS and MI teams are all set to play finals on May 21, 2017, at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.