A viral video purportedly showing India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant and former captain MS Dhoni spending time with friends has sparked a buzz on social media. Dhoni’s apparent reference to smoking hookah has become the main talking point from the short clip, with fans closely analysing the exchange.
The footage appears to show Pant relaxing on a sofa with a group of people in what looks like a hotel room. Dhoni can be seen in the background and, after returning from taking a picture, appears to shake Pant’s hand before saying, “jara hookah peeke aata hu,” which translates to, “I’ll go and smoke hookah.”
However, the authenticity of the video, as well as the time and location where it was recorded, could not be independently verified. The clip also appears to show beer cans and cocktails on a table, suggesting that the footage may have been recorded during a private gathering.
The video quickly caught the attention of fans online, with Dhoni’s apparent hookah reference becoming the biggest point of discussion.
The clip has also brought back memories of earlier comments about Dhoni’s reported fondness for shisha. Former Australia captain George Bailey had previously spoken about Dhoni’s relaxed approach to team bonding during his playing days.
“He likes smoking a bit of the sheesha or the hookah,” Bailey had said. “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.”
Former Chennai Super Kings batter Michael Hussey has also spoken about Dhoni’s hotel room becoming an informal gathering place for teammates. Hussey recalled how players would often drop into Dhoni’s room, spend time together and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere away from the cricket field.
While the latest video has generated plenty of reactions online, there is no independent confirmation of when or where the footage was recorded or whether the exchange took place as it appears in the clip.
