India's World Cup-winner Irfan Pathan is in the news since his old interview with Sports Tak resurfaced where he made 'Hookah' remark on legendary MS Dhoni while detailing his Team India exit. Since then the clip has been doing rounds on internet and sparked a meme fest. However, the controversy surrounding Dhoni and a Hookah has been addressed by former Indian all-rounder himself. The issue gained traction on Wednesday, September 3 after it went viral on social media. Pathan, in a social media post, extended birthday wishes to cricketer Mohammed Shami, sharing a photo and a message: "Wishing the seam king @MdShami11 a very happy birthday. Looking forward to see your bowling for India again soon. Have a great one."
Irfan Pathan reacts to 'hookah' remark on MS Dhoni after fan's query
A fan responded to the post, teasing Pathan about the viral controversy. "Pathan bhai woh hookey ka kya hua???" the user commented, prompting a humorous reply from the former cricketer. Pathan joked, "Mein or @msdhoni sath Beth kar pienge;)," which translates to, "MS Dhoni and I will sit and smoke it together."
A viral clip from a 2020 interview with Pathan has recently resurfaced, sparking a new round of online debate about his sudden departure from the Indian cricket team during MS Dhoni's captaincy. In the video, Pathan speaks candidly about his career and alludes to a culture of an 'inner circle' within the team. He reflects on the unexpected end to his international career in 2012, just a few years after he was considered one of India's most promising all-rounders.
While Pathan doesn't explicitly name Dhoni, his comments were widely seen as a subtle criticism of the former captain and the team's dynamics. Pathan made a pointed remark that seemed to suggest his exit was influenced by factors beyond his on-field performance.
“I don’t have a habit of setting up hookah in someone’s room or talking about this. Everyone knows. Sometimes if you don’t speak about it, it’s better. A cricketer’s job is to perform on the field and that is what I used to focus on,” Pathan had earlier told Sports Tak.
Pathan's comment immediately sparked a social media frenzy, with fans and media outlets quickly interpreting it as a pointed insinuation. Many believed he was suggesting that team selection was not based purely on merit but was influenced by a player's personal rapport with the captain or their inclusion in an off-field social circle. The controversy was further intensified by older remarks from former Australian cricketer George Bailey, who had previously mentioned that Dhoni enjoyed smoking hookah and maintained an open-door policy for younger players in his room.