No news from BCCI president on Dhoni yet, will speak if needed: Kohli

Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Tuesday (October 22) after clinching the team’s maiden Test series sweep against South Africa spoke about former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a notable absentee from the series.

Kohli, in the post-match press conference, said he hasn’t had a conversation with Sourav Ganguly with regards to Dhoni’s international future and believes that the BCCI’s President-elect will get in touch with him when he needs to.

Dhoni, who is on a sabbatical from international cricket, has been under speculations of taking retirement since the conclusion of the ICC World Cup this year.

However, the former skipper is also not expected to play against Bangladesh in the upcoming T20 series starting from November 3.

Dhoni dropped in to meet the winning squad at Ranchi Stadium, which happens to his home town.

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After being nominated as the BCCIs President-elect, Ganguly had said that he would like to speak to the selectors as well as Dhoni to know what they had in mind.

“I congratulated him (Ganguly). It’s great that he has become BCCI President. But he’s not spoken to me about that (MS) yet. He will get in touch with me when he has to. I am sure I will go and meet him when he tells me to,” the Indian skipper said at the post-match press conference.

In fact, Ganguly on Monday said that he will speak to Kohli on October 24 as he believes that the decision to opt-out of the Bangladesh T20 series, which starts November 3, rests with the Indian captain.

“I will meet him (Kohli) just like a BCCI president meets the Indian captain. It’s up to him to decide if he wants to rest,” Ganguly told reporters.

Ranchi’s most popular son was expected to turn up during the third Test, which ended with India winning by an innings and 202 runs, and he did, but only after the formalities had been completed by Virat Kohli and his men here.

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“Great to see a true Indian legend in his den after a fantastic series win #Dhoni #TeamIndia #INDvsSA,” Shastri tweeted with a picture of him with a grinning Dhoni.

Great to see a true Indian legend in his den after a fantastic series win #Dhoni #TeamIndia #INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/P1XKR0iobZ

— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) October 22, 2019

In fact, when a scribe asked about Dhoni, a beaming skipper Kohli said in jest: “He is here in the change room. Come and say hello to him.”

Reporter: When in Ranchi, a visit to the local boy's crib beckons? ??
Virat: Be our guest ?? #TeamIndia #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/HLdDYX3Pxn

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 22, 2019

The 37-year-old icon’s future is a matter of intense speculation but he hasn’t spoken a word on it.

He has spent the time serving for his unit in the Territorial Army, where he is an honorary Lieutenant Colonel, and trying his hand at golf on a US trip.

The BCCI also posted a picture of Dhoni, wearing his all-access accreditation card, in the Indian dressing room.

Look who's here ? pic.twitter.com/whS24IK4Ir

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 22, 2019

In the picture posted by the Indian board, Dhoni is seen in conversation with debutant left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem, who took four wickets.

(With inputs from agencies)