PUNE (TIP): The scintillating partnership that took Indian tennis to dizzying heights is set to return in a new avatar as Mahesh Bhupathi was on Thursday appointed the non-playing captain of the Davis Cup team for 2017-18.
Bhupathi, the former World No. 1 doubles star who won three men’s doubles Grand Slam titles with Leander Paes and one more with Belarussian Max Mirnyi, will take over the reins of the Indian team from April and will be at the helm till December 2018.
Incumbent Anand Amritraj, whose term comes to an end December 31, has been given an extension till the AsiaOceania Group 1 tie against New Zealand to be held here from February 3 to 5. Zeeshan Ali will continue as coach of the team that comprises Yuki Bhambri, Ramkumar Ramanathan and Saketh Myneni besides Paes.
Myneni and Paes are expected to play doubles in the Pune tie. How Bhupathi and Paes get along will be keenly watched. The two have had a ‘blow-hot blow-cold’ partnership with the most recent memory being their bickering over who should partner Rohan Bopanna at the London Olympics in 2012.
But their bonding at its best has given some memorable moments to Indian sport. And despite some vitriolic verbal exchanges over the years, the two have mutual respect for each other. It is this undying chemistry between the two that the All India Tennis Association seems to be banking on as it plans to build a team for the future.
“Both Leander and Mahesh have given a lot to Indian tennis. Both get along well with the younger players and we felt that Mahesh should be given a chance,” AITA chief executive Hironmoy Chatterjee said on Thursday. “Besides, he has immense experience in Davis Cup, which plays a big part,” he added.
Bopanna dropped
The national selection committee, which met in New Delhi on Thursday, decided to leave out Bopanna for the February tie. The reasons for Bopanna’s omission were both tennis and non-tennis.
Besides the return of Bhambri, the team’s performance against New Zealand when they clashed in Christchurch last year as well as Bopanna’s stormy relationship with Paes were considered while finalising the team. SP Misra, the chairman of selectors, also said that picking three singles players would be the norm going forward.
“In the last match against New Zealand, the combination of Rohan and Saketh lost the doubles rubber. Whereas, Leander and Saketh played an incredible match against Spain (in the World Group playoff this September),” Misra said. “Both Bopanna and Saketh are left-court players. And when you don’t gel well… not to mention that we will be sacrificing a singles player in the process. The AITA executive committee has made it a norm that in future we should be fielding three singles and one doubles player,” Misra added.
So, despite Bopanna being ranked higher at 29 as against Paes’ 59, the question arose as to who will partner the 43-year-old veteran. Though Myneni and Ramkumar are India No. 1and 2 players, Bhambri, who was ranked as high 88 late last year, could get the nod for the opening singles. “It will be the captain’s call on that day,” Misra said.