If only India stopped obsessing over the personal differences between Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, their professional and on-court chemistry would be a whole lot easier to appreciate.
They may get into childish tussles off the court, but once they cross the white line the duo know how to mature into the great champions they have proven to be with each other. On Saturday, they came up with another well-oiled performance against Japan to clinch the Davis Cup tie 3-0 and guide India into the World Group play-offs.
Takao Suzuki, who in the company of Satoshi Iwabuchi, suffered a 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 loss at the hands of the ace Indian duo, said on Saturday that Paes-Bhupathi have it in them to rule the doubles scenario.
"They get the job done," said Suzuki. "They have been Grand Slam champions before and even now if they come together they can surely be the number one team in the world."
'The Indian Express' as they were known at their peak was derailed after differences between Paes and Bhupathi and the subsequent controversies, the most recent of which erupted on the eve of the tie against Japan, have only made the situation worse.
Though the Indians showed necessary aggression to win the doubles rubber and seal the tie against Japan, the run-up to the match has been uncomfortable and the chest-bumps were missing.
"We don't do the chest bumps for the crowd," said Bhupathi after the match. "We do it when we feel like it. The circumstances are different now and the controversies have made a huge difference."
Both the players have maintained that they will be concentrating on their individual careers on the tour and will decide on the preparation for Beijing Olympics when the time is ripe.