IMAGE: Leander Paes. Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com
India's top singles player Yuki Bhambri on Monday returned to the Davis Cup team along with Saketh Myneni even as veteran Leander Paes was expectedly dropped from the squad for the tie against Canada next month.
Apart from Bhambri and Myneni, Ramkumar Ramanathan and Rohan Bopanna made the squad, captained by Mahesh Bhupathi.
Filling in the reserves slots were Prajnesh Gunneswaran and N Sriram Balaji.
The 44-year-old Paes was included in the six-man squad for the previous tie against Uzbekistan in Bengaluru in April this year but was left out of the final four by the new captain Bhupathi.
Upset and embarrassed, Paes had left the venue mid-way
into the tie, prompting Bhupathi to reveal on Facebook that he had never promised Paes a spot in the final four and that his departure was final nail in the coffin.
Both Bhambri, who recently beat world number 22 Gael Monfils, and Myneni had missed the Uzbekistan tie due to injuries.
Now that they are back on the ATP Tour, they will take their places back in the side for the September 15-17 tie in Edmonton.
Ramanathan who created a ripple by beating world number eight Dominic Thiem will be the other singles player in the team.
Bopanna being the highest-ranked doubles player in the country is automatic choice for the doubles rubber.
Paes needs one more win to claim the world record for the most Davis Cup wins in doubles. He is tied on 42 wins with Italian legend Nicola Pietrangeli.
Davis Cup team for Canada tie: Yuki Bhambri, Ramkumar Ramanathan, Saketh Myneni, Rohan Bopanna.
Reserves: Prajnesh Gunneswaran, N Sriram Balaji.
