Ganguly will officially take charge on October 23, and among his first acts as president will be a sit-down with the MSK Prasad-chaired selection committee on the very next day, to seek clarification on Dhoni’s future.

“I need to find out from the selectors when I meet them next,” Ganguly said in Kolkata. “We should find out what the selectors think. It’s not my opinion. I was nowhere in the picture all these days. My first selection committee meeting will be on the 24th.”

[caption id=”attachment_124403″ align=”alignnone” width=”800″] Sourav Ganguly will take over as BCCI president on October 23[/caption]

Since India’s World Cup exit in July this year, Dhoni has been absent from their limited-overs assignments in West Indies and at home against South Africa.

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“What he wants to do, what he doesn’t [want] to do… What matters is what Dhoni wants,”Ganguly said. “Maybe there is clarity between Dhoni and the selectors, but I do not know of it as yet. Neither side has discussed anything with me. They’ll decide on the way forward.”

Ganguly said that the decision would depend on three major factors: what Dhoni wants, the selection committee’s say, and captain Virat Kohli’s communication with the wicket-keeper.

“You have to ask that question to Modi ji and the Pakistan Prime Minister.”

New BCCI president-elect Sourav Ganguly says that the decision on bilateral ties between India and Pakistan isn't in the BCCI's hands.https://t.co/PXwvtrjsQ1

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) October 17, 2019

“Virat is very important as to what he is communicating to Dhoni. What he expects of him is very hard to say. But I don’t think anybody should jump the gun and pass a statement.

“If Virat and the team management expect Dhoni to come back and play, he will play. If they feel like moving forward, they would move forward. Of course, the selectors will also play an important role.”