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"Sath Beth Kar Pienge": Irfan Pathan Fuels Hookah Controversy With Cheeky Dig At MS Dhoni

Akshita Patel

Irfan Pathan takes dig at MS Dhoni [Source: @7_MSDthala/X.com]Irfan Pathan takes dig at MS Dhoni [Source: @7_MSDthala/X.com]

Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan ignited a fresh controversy earlier this week when he claimed that MS Dhoni was biased towards players who set up ‘hookah’ pots for him. He took another dig at the ex-captain while replying to a fan comment on X.

For context, an old interview of Pathan with Sports Tak went viral again, where the former India all-rounder appeared to take a veiled dig at MS Dhoni. 

Speaking about his early exit from the national team, Pathan recalled clarifying reports from the 2008 Australia series suggesting Dhoni wasn’t happy with his bowling.

Irfan Pathan Enjoys Meme Fest On ‘Hookah’ Comment For MS Dhoni

While MS Dhoni denied the claims, Irfan Pathan hinted at favouritism, saying, “I don’t have a habit of setting up a hookah in someone’s room. A cricketer’s job is to perform on the field.” 

Soon, the internet was flooded with memes, old interviews, and photos of Dhoni, giving the controversy a life of its own. But Pathan has now addressed the buzz in his own unique style, with a joke.

On Wednesday, while wishing Mohammed Shami a happy birthday on social media, Pathan was teased by a fan who asked, “Pathan bhai, woh hookey ka kya hua???” Pathan responded playfully, writing, “Mein aur @msdhoni sath beth kar pienge ;).”

Irfan Pathan's banter on X [Source: @IrfanPathan/X.com]Irfan Pathan's banter on X [Source: @IrfanPathan/X.com]

After this revelation, an old video of Dhoni smoking at a wedding has also resurfaced, along with an interesting statement made by George Bailey in 2018.

George Bailey Once Exposed Dhoni’s Hookah Addiction

Former Australia captain George Bailey once revealed how MS Dhoni used smoking to connect with younger players. Speaking to Cricket Australia in 2018, Bailey said Dhoni often set up a hookah (sheesha) in his hotel room, creating an “open door policy” where teammates could drop by, relax, and talk about cricket. 

“He likes smoking a bit of the sheesha or the hookah. So, he quite often would set that up in his room, and it was very much open door policy. You would go in and quite often find a lot of younger players there. For India or lot of other cricket teams, it can be hierarchical, but he certainly broke that down," Bailey said.

Bailey noted that many young players would gather in Dhoni’s room late at night, chatting about different facets of the game in a friendly, informal setting.