Sam Billings revealed a unique detail about MS Dhoni, saying the former CSK captain has a ‘sheesha man’ to manage his routine, during a recent podcast.
MS Dhoni drew attention after a video of him using sheesha surfaced following the IPL 2024 season. The clip had sparked fans’ curiosity about his routine.
Sam Billings later shared more insider details during a podcast discussion. The former Chennai Super Kings player said Dhoni carries a sheesha setup and had a ‘sheesha man’ during tours. He added that the equipment is usually arranged inside his hotel room. Billings also revealed that a staff member named Khaleel manages the setup.
Billings then described Dhoni as calm and grounded despite global fame. He noted that the former captain spends most of his time inside the hotel during tours. The discussion included Alastair Cook, Michael Vaughan and Phil Tufnell.
“Has to be Dhoni. I think just in terms of his captaincy, his aura, it’s fantastic. He’s incredibly calm and genuinely cool. There aren’t many cool people. You don’t meet many cool people these days. But he is. Wow, what a lovely guy, considering how much stardom he has. He’s a superstar. Obviously, a Manchester United fan, like myself. We have watched quite a few games together. Because he can’t leave the hotel or go downstairs to the bar,” said Billings.
“He leaves his hotel room open, and he has this little sheesha man, whose sole job is to look after the sheesha. Khaleel,” he added.
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Interestingly, while Billings shared his experience, Manoj Tiwary had earlier raised concerns over such sheesha gatherings. He suggested some players may gain influence through close interactions with MS Dhoni. Tiwary made the remarks in September last year, pointing to possible favouritism in team selections.
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