Irfan Pathan’s comment sparks wave of MS Dhoni ‘Hookah’ memes online

It has now been five years since Irfan Pathan last addressed the controversy surrounding his sudden exit from the Indian cricket team in 2012. His departure came during the leadership of MS Dhoni, under whom he played his final international match.

Interestingly, the former Indian all-rounder signed off with a notable performance in his last ODI, where he managed to claim five wickets. Despite such an effort, his career with the national team came to an unexpected halt, leaving many fans puzzled about the circumstances that led to his omission.

While Irfan’s absence from the squad sparked debates among cricket followers, the actual reasons were never made public. Pathan himself has often maintained a dignified silence on the matter. Ultimately, the decision rested with the selectors, who alone knew the factors behind ending the all-rounder’s promising international journey despite his impactful contributions on the field.

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Irfan Pathan Shares Insights of a Conversation with MS Dhoni:

In a 2020 interview, Irfan Pathan opened up about a discussion he once had with MS Dhoni concerning his place and future in the Indian team. Speaking with Sports Tak, the former all-rounder shared insights into that discussion, revealing how the skipper assessed his performances and guided him about the team’s plans.

He said, “ Yes, I asked him. During the 2008 Australia series, Mahi bhai's statement came out in the media that Irfan wasn't bowling well. So I thought I had bowled well throughout the series, so I went and asked Mahi bhai about this. Sometimes, the statements are twisted in the media, so I also wanted to clarify.”

He further said, “ So Mahi bhai said, 'no Irfan, there is nothing like this, everything's going as per plans.' When you get a reply like this, then you believe that okay, you do what you can. Also if you keep asking for explanations again and again after that, you hurt your self-respect.”

Irfan Pathan’s Hookah Comment on MS Dhoni Sparks Memes:

During the interview, Irfan Pathan made a light remark directed at MS Dhoni. He mentioned that, unlike certain players, he was never the type to visit the former captain’s room and join in for ‘hookah’ sessions. His witty comment quickly caught attention and sparked widespread reactions, with many fans turning it into trending meme material.

He said, “ I don't have a habit of setting up hookah in someone's room or talking about this. Everyone knows. Sometime,s 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.”

Although Irfan Pathan’s hookah comment is from years ago, it recently resurfaced on social media and quickly went viral. The remark has now become a talking point again, sparking a wave of memes and humorous reactions among cricket fans across different platforms.

Back in 2018, former Australian cricketer George Bailey had also mentioned that MS Dhoni enjoys smoking hookah. His revelation added to the curiosity around Dhoni’s off-field habits and often resurfaces in discussions, especially whenever such remarks make their way into public conversations or social media trends.

He said, “ 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.”