‘Kya Dhoni hookah peete hain?’ – Indian umpire finally responds to the internet’s burning question – sportingnews.com

Saurav Goyal
For years, one curious question has floated around Indian cricket circles and social media- does MS Dhoni actually smoke hookah?
The legendary former Indian captain, known for his calm personality and private lifestyle, has often found himself in the middle of such light-hearted yet heated debates.
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From viral videos to old player interviews, the topic has been a mix of gossip and controversy. But now, an Indian umpire has finally spoken up about it. When asked recently about the buzz around Dhoni’s alleged hookah sessions, the umpire’s reaction was simple and straight.
When questioned about the long-standing talk of Dhoni’s hookah habit, Indian umpire Anil Chaudhary gave a short and sharp answer. “I don’t care if he does that or not. It’s his personal life,” he said.
The story of Dhoni’s connection with hookah goes back more than a decade. Around 2007-08, when Dhoni was a young captain leading a fresh Indian side, a few players mentioned how he would host late-night hookah sessions in his hotel room.
Former Australian cricketer George Bailey, who played under Dhoni for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, once shared that Dhoni often used these sessions to connect with teammates. 
In  Indian culture, hookah is seen as more of a casual social tradition than a taboo. Still, whenever an old picture or video popped up online showing Dhoni with one, fans couldn’t resist debating whether it was real or just another rumour.
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The whole talk started again in September 2025 after an old Irfan Pathan interview suddenly went viral online.
In that 2020 clip, Pathan talked about his time under Dhoni’s captaincy and while he didn’t accuse Dhoni directly, his remarks hinted at players forming closer ties through off-field sessions.
Soon after, other former players like Manoj Tiwary joined the discussion, saying that some cricketers who were part of those private gatherings might have gained extra attention from the captain. 
However, Irfan later clarified on social media that his old comments were being twisted for attention. He reminded fans that the interview was years old and asked everyone to focus on cricket rather than rumours.
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Saurav Goyal is a Content Producer at the Sporting News with over two years of experience in covering cricket. An avid cricket fan for more than two decades, his passion for the game led him to writing. Since then, he’s been delivering the latest news and engaging content to keep cricket fans informed and entertained.

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