Retired Team India cricketer and 2011 World Cup winner Munaf Patel has stepped into the middle of a renewed MS Dhoni hookah debate and made his position clear. The former India pacer defended Dhoni while pushing back against criticism of the veteran wicketkeeper being repeated online.
Patel rubbished the idea of giving old dressing-room stories media attention years after the fact. The discussion flared again after an old interview resurfaced that shared reported insider comments on Dhoni’s team environment and alleged off-field preferences.
How Was the Debate Revived?
The latest storm began when an old interview clip of Irfan Pathan resurfaced online and drew heavy attention from fans. Retired cricketer Pathan made remarks that were taken as a suggestion alleging Dhoni preferred players who joined him in hookah sessions.
The reported comments quickly spread across social media and cricket news outlets while sparking increased scrutiny of Dhoni’s international career. Some gossip blogs spun the headlines to suggest that Pathan’s exit from Team India in 2012 may have been because of the hookah saga.
No evidence suggests that Dhoni committed any illegal act during hookah sessions throughout his captaincy; however, such headlines received massive attention from attention-seeking gossip blogs.
Munaf Patel Defends Dhoni’s Captaincy
One of Patel’s strongest points was that Dhoni was a captain who trusted his bowlers and allowed them to work through their own plans. Patel said Dhoni would let him do his job and would only move to a Plan B if the first option did not work. His description paints Dhoni as a practical leader rather than someone who interfered constantly in the middle of a match:
“Dhoni was a good captain among Indians. He used to let me do my work. Plan A would be mine. If it did not work, then he would give Plan B. It was very simple,” Patel said in Dhoni’s defence during a recent interview.
Why He Says the Criticism Came Too Late
Patel also objected to the timing of these comments regarding hookah. He questioned why former players were talking about the issue now, rather than speaking up when they were still active:
“People talk a lot about him now. If you were true, you could have spoken back then. Now, after retiring, you can tell anything, but there is no point,” Patel said. Patel believes saying these things after retirement makes the discussion look less like truth-telling and more like score-settling.
No Player Was Forced into It
Patel insists that no one was forced to take part in any hookah-related social circle. He reportedly said many Indian players never joined such sessions, including himself. Other reports also claim Patel said taking part in hookah sessions was never compulsory during Dhoni’s captaincy.
“You Were Making Hookah”, Patel Faces Pathan After Controversy Resurfaces
Patel alleged during the interview that Pathan made hookah himself during these sessions. He claims a lack of self-respect was behind his non-refusal to join such activities during Dhoni’s captaincy:
“You were making hookah yourself, right? Why were you making it then? People have this issue that they had to go to his room and make hookah. If you had that self-respect, you should not have gone,” the ex-cricketer was quoted as saying.
The Names Patel Brought into the Argument
Patel did not limit his remarks to himself. He named several other senior Indian cricketers who did not take part in such sessions:
“Munaf Patel and Gautam Gambhir never did that. Ishant Sharma, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar never did that. Why are you fighting now for it?”, he said during this interview.
The mention of those names turned the response into more than a personal defense; it became a broader claim about how different players behaved in the same environment.
Dhoni’s Silence Becomes Part of the Story
Patel also pointed to Dhoni’s silence as part of his defense. He suggested that Dhoni’s refusal to publicly respond is itself a kind of answer to critics. Dhoni’s former teammate claims his captain does not need to speak because his record and reputation already explain enough:
“You are just increasing your followers or putting him down. Has he even replied to anyone till today? Imagine what would happen if he opens his mouth. His silence is his answer. He is not talking about anything, that is why he is Dhoni. You are sitting at home and making money from talking, so you tell anything, the retired cricketer concluded.
Why the Hookah Debate Has Such Staying Power
The reason this controversy keeps returning is that it touches on a sensitive part of Indian cricket history. The resurfaced interview was a clear plot by blogs to gain traffic; however, Patel has come out to dismiss any potential chance of misconduct during these sessions.
