Former Sam Billings, who played alongside MS Dhoni at Chennai Super Kings, revealed a quirky side of the iconic captain. Billings shared that Dhoni often enjoys sheesha while traveling and even has a dedicated assistant, Khaleel, whose sole responsibility is to manage it.
Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast alongside Alastair Cook, Michael Vaughan, and Phil Tufnell, Billings praised Dhoni for his calm demeanor, leadership, and superstar aura. “He leaves his hotel room open, and he has this little sheesha man, whose sole job is to look after the sheesha. Khaleel,” Billings explained.
Billings also recalled his encounters with former India captain Virat Kohli, highlighting Kohli’s fiery passion on the field, including a memorable ODI match in Kanpur in 2017.
During his stint with CSK, Billings played a crucial role in the team’s success, including the IPL 2018 season, and contributed to CSK’s win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.