Bad blood done and dusted, says Smith
Playing down talk of lingering bitterness between Indian and Australian cricketers after the recent four-match Test series, which India won 2-1, Aussie skipper Steve Smith said that he has moved on from the events of the series and is now completely focused on the IPL.
Speaking at a press conference here, the newly-appointed Rising Pune Supergiant skipper said the series is behind him and that the bitterly-fought series wouldn’t impact his relationship with Indian players in the Pune dressing room.
“The series is done and dusted. India outplayed us and won the series. I am moving on from that now. I am ready to take on the reins of this IPL team,” Smith stated.
“I think I made it pretty clear after the game (in Dharamsala). We are leaving it there,” he added.
Smith’s RPS teammate Ajinkya Rahane, who led in the absence of Virat Kohli at Dharamsala, too sought to play down the controversies of the Test series, saying players in the Pune team will be united behind Smith in the upcoming season.
“I have always believed that one should live in the present. Whatever happens on the ground remains within the ground. It should not come out. Our focus is on the IPL. We have won the series, and there was some very good cricket on display during the series. Both sides played really well, so credit also goes to Steve Smith and the Australian team for the way they played,” Rahane said.
“But now we are playing in the same team. We know each other very well and have played together before. The focus during the IPL will be on how we can work together to take the team forward,” Rahane added.
With other prominent Team India regulars in the RPS team, franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka said there won’t be any issue over Smith gelling with his Indian teammates. With Rahane, Smith and new recruit Ben Stokes sitting next to him, Goenka told reporters that he didn’t see the need of mediate.
“The Test series is over, the IPL starts. The team is completely united. We will compete as one team, under one leader,” he stated.
“I was with these three gentlemen (Smith, Rahane and Stokes) before we came here. I have seen very good bonhomie between all of them. So I don’t know where my role to defuse any tension is. I didn’t see any tension,” Goenka said.
RPS start their IPL campaign against Mumbai Indians in Pune on April 6.