"You don't take decision like this overnight. It was well thought out. Dhoni thought this was the right time to step aside and continuing playing as wicketkeeper batsman," Pandey told PTI.
Pandey also manages Dhoni's commercial interests.
Dhoni is known for keeping his card's close to his chest. He had caught the cricketing fraternity by surprise when he announced his retirement from Test cricket midway into the series in Australia.
Former cricketers including Sourav Ganguly had earlier backed Virat Kohli to take over from Dhoni in all three formats.
Asked Pandey was that playing in Dhoni's mind, he replied in the negative.
"Dhoni is beyond all this. A chunk of current cricketers playing for India blossomed under Dhoni. Now he thinks it is the right time to step aside for the larger interest of the team. Not many would do that but Dhoni has done that. It has always been India first for him," added Pandey.
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