A five-year-old video of former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan recently went viral, igniting a fiery debate and meme fest on social media. In the clip, Pathan discussed the reasons behind his being dropped from the Indian team and seemed to suggest he was never one to curry favor with the captain. His statement, “I didn’t have the habit of preparing hookah in someone’s room,” was widely interpreted by fans as a direct jibe at the then-captain, MS Dhoni.
Pathan had initially mentioned a lack of communication from the team management despite Dhoni once reassuring him that everything was fine. Following the video’s resurfacing, speculation went into overdrive, with many online users drawing quick conclusions that Pathan was blaming Dhoni for his career slump.
However, amidst the widespread coverage and social media storm, Pathan himself stepped in to reject the connection. He claimed his original statement was twisted and was not intended as a dig at Dhoni.
Aakash Chopra Defends Captains’ Choices
As the controversy gained momentum, former India opener Aakash Chopra offered a different perspective, defending the captain’s role. On CricketExchange, Chopra argued that a captain’s preference for certain players is not a bias but an “absolutely normal” part of the game.
“I believe that a captain’s first job is to pick a team that can win matches,” Chopra explained. “A captain’s success is dependent on this. Even though you have some preferences – you may like someone more than others – that’s absolutely normal. That’s a reality.”
Chopra further elaborated that captains naturally gravitate towards players they’ve spent more time with or have seen perform better under pressure. He added that this isn’t favoritism but rather a reflection of familiarity and trust. “Players who tend to belong to the same place as the captain and coach, get more preferences. That is not a bias or favouritism. It’s just that you’ve spent more time with them,” he concluded.