Old interview sparks MS Dhoni hookah rumors, Irfan Pathan clarifies context
Pathan insists his words were twisted, calls out fan wars and PR agendas
Pathan gears up for Asia Cup 2025 commentary alongside historic Afghan debutant
Irfan Pathan found himself trending yet again, after an old SportsTak interview surfaced online. In the interview, the retired all-rounder addressed the sudden exit from the Indian cricket team and hints it came after he refused to "set up a hookah" for a teammate. Although he did not name names, social media identified this to be former captain MS Dhoni and brought back the arguments about favoritism among the players.
With the clip coming to light, fans immediately began sharing old photos and videos and mixed in memes, which fueled ever-growing conversations on social media. However, Pathan has finally responded to the controversy with a tweet.
"Half decade old video surfacing NOW with a twisted context to the Statement. Fan war? PR lobby?" Pathan tweeted.
What Pathan Really Said and Why It Matters
In the original conversation with SportsTak, Pathan recounted a moment during the 2008 Australia tour when he approached Dhoni after media reports questioned his bowling. Dhoni reportedly reassured him firmly, but Pathan couldn’t shake off the feeling that team dynamics were affected by off-field camaraderie. He dryly added, “I don’t have a habit of setting up hookah in someone’s room… a cricketer’s job is to perform on the field.”
Meanwhile, rather than letting tensions mount, Pathan chose to diffuse the controversy with humor and grace. When a fan jokingly asked, “What about the hookah issue?” he replied wryly, “Mein aur @msdhoni sath baith kar pienge ;)”
Irfan Pathan Focuses On His Commentary Career
Off the field, Pathan’s commentary journey continues. Despite being left out of the IPL 2025 panel amid complaints about mixing personal feelings with analysis, he made a comeback with Sony Sports Network’s Hindi coverage of the India vs. England Test series.
He even opened his own YouTube channel where uploads his video regarding mutliple cricket matches, analysing them. Now, he’s scheduled to cover the Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE, working alongside Ahmad Farhad, the first Afghan commentator in a major international tournament.
