IMAGE: Denis Istomin in action. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Uzbekistan suffered a blow with their top player Denis Istomin ruled out of the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group 1 tie against India due to a foot injury, on Tuesday.
"Istomin is expected to be out for two weeks due to an injury in his left foot and will not travel to Bengaluru for Davis Cup tie against India," Uzbekistan captain Petr Lebed said.
Uzbekistan will take on India in a Group 1 tie this weekend.
"Istomin was initially supposed to come but when he said he would stay back for tests on his
foot, I had a feeling he would not turn up at all," Lebed said.
Lebed, however, said that he still has two days to decide who would play the singles and doubles matches.
"I had a back-up plan in place. Now with two days left, it gives me enough time to work on who plays singles and doubles," he said.
On how the team would be preparing in Istomin's absence, Lebed said preparations have been normal as the players have been training in various parts of the world.
"Preparation have been going on as normal. Sanjar (
Fayziev) was playing a tournament in Bahrain. Temur Ismailov was preparing in Greece. Denis (
Istomin) was in the USA while Farrukh Dustov was preparing in Tashkent," he said.