Cricket latest
Updated on: Dec 02, 2025 05:55 pm IST
Cricket latest Hussey praised MS Dhoni’s legendary hospitality at CSK, recalling how his lounge room was open 24/7 for players to relax, chat cricket, and even enjoy shisha.
Australia batting great Michael Hussey offered a rare peek into the warm, relaxed atmosphere MS Dhoni built at Chennai Super Kings, recalling how the skipper’s room was open to teammates round the clock. Dhoni has long been credited with creating a dressing-room environment where youngsters and seniors bond freely, a culture that begins with his own easy, approachable nature.
Since the inception of the IPL, Dhoni has been the driving force behind CSK, leading them to five titles while fostering a culture where players felt secure in their roles. Throughout his captaincy, he was renowned for backing his players wholeheartedly.
Hussey praised Dhoni’s legendary hospitality at CSK, recalling how his lounge room was open 24/7 for players to relax, chat cricket, and even enjoy shisha, reflecting the captain’s warm and inclusive team culture.
“Dhoni is just the most amazing guy, his room is available open 24 hours a day. So, anyone can go up there and just sit. He has got his lounge room, players just sit around, they start talking cricket, some of them like the ‘shisha’, you know, the flavoured tobacco stuff,” Hussey said while speaking on The Overlap Cricket.
Also Read – ‘Tim David should be mentoring me in this tournament’: Dinesh Karthik relishes quirky role-reversal ahead of ILT20 debut
The Aussie veteran credited Dhoni for fostering team camaraderie, describing how players would socialize in his always-open room, often bringing food and enjoying the relaxed, inclusive atmosphere he created.
“So, that is their way of socialising and things like that. Credit to Dhoni, he opens his room up, lots of players go up, they bring food up, it is fantastic,” Hussey said.
Cricket latest “Never seen MS Dhoni practice his keeping ever”
Hussey further revealed a surprising insight into Dhoni’s routine, noting that while the former captain rarely practised wicketkeeping, he spent countless hours batting and perfecting his skills at the crease.
“I’ve been a player at Chennai for 8 years, and now coach for about 8 years. I think the only time I’ve seen him catch a ball was when we wanted to knock in a new pair of gloves. I’ve never seen him practice his keeping ever, but he bats a long long time. He hits thousands and thousands of balls,” Hussey revealed.
The former India skipper is set to return for another IPL season in 2026, having been retained by five-time champions CSK, who will enter the auction later this month to revamp their squad.