Sam Billings reveals MS Dhoni is a massive Manchester United fan and never misses a match

Former CSK player Sam Billings spoke about his experience of sharing the dressing room with former India captain MS Dhoni. The England cricketer described Dhoni as a very calm and “cool” person, and mentioned that he always kept his door open for teammates during the IPL.

Billings also shared an interesting detail, saying that Dhoni had a staff member whose main responsibility was to take care of his shisha pipe. He spoke about this in a video that later became popular online. According to Billings, “He has a person who manages the shisha (hookah). That is his only role in the group.”

While this may surprise some fans, Dhoni’s habit is not new. He is known for creating a relaxed and friendly atmosphere in his hotel room, which helps younger players feel comfortable and adjust quickly to the team environment.

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Former CSK star Sam Billings opens up about watching football with MS Dhoni during the IPL

In episode 37 of the Stick to Cricket podcast, the former England cricketer shared another interesting detail about the lifestyle of former Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni.

Billings said that both of them support the same Premier League club and used to watch every match together. Notably, the English wicket-keeper-batter was part of the CSK squad during their 2018 title-winning season and spoke about how he built a good connection with Dhoni through their shared support for Manchester United.

“[He is] obviously a Man United fan, like myself, and so we’d watch every Man United game because he can’t leave the hotel, he can’t go downstairs to the hotel bar, and he’d get a load of the lads,” Billings said.

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The English batter describes the incredible aura of MS Dhoni as the coolest superstar in cricket

Calling MS Dhoni the best captain he has played under, Sam Billings offered high praise for his leadership and personality.

“MS Dhoni has to be. In terms of his captaincy and his aura, he is outstanding. He is incredibly calm and genuinely cool. You do not meet many people like that. Despite his massive stardom, he remains a very humble and lovely person,” Billings said.

Billings spent two seasons with Chennai Super Kings and was part of their 2018 title-winning squad. He earned recognition for his crucial half-century against KKR. Overall, he has played 30 IPL matches, scoring 503 runs.

Interestingly, Captain Cools’s shisha (hookah) habit may surprise some, but it is not new. The former India captain is known for creating a relaxed, lounge-like atmosphere in his hotel room, helping younger players feel comfortable and settle in. Several former teammates have also spoken about his open-door policy, where he often invited players to join him. Videos of him smoking a hookah in Dubai after his international retirement have also gone viral in the past.

However, as the IPL 2026 season is set to begin on March 28, the focus will once again be on Dhoni. Questions about whether this will be his final season are expected to arise. He has played almost every season for Chennai Super Kings and has been the face of the franchise, leading them to five titles.

Last season, the legendary batter scored 196 runs in 13 innings, with an average of 24.50 and a strike rate of 135.17. His highest score was an unbeaten 30. Earlier this month, he joined the CSK pre-season camp for Indian players.

He also attended the T20 World Cup 2026 final between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Widely regarded as one of India’s greatest captains, Dhoni retired from international cricket in August 2020. He stepped down as CSK captain ahead of the 2022 season but took back the role from Ravindra Jadeja during the tournament. While CSK failed to reach the playoffs that year, Dhoni led them to their fifth title in the following season.