Davis Cup: Sumit Nagal returns, Bhambri opts out & S Mukund suspended from India’s tie against Sweden

Sumit Nagal will make a return to India’s Davis Cup team for their World Group I tie against Sweden. The top-ranked singles player had missed the tie against Pakistan earlier in the year but has now made himself available. The matches will be played on indoor hard courts, a surface where Nagal hasn’t done so well, but the in-form player is nonetheless ready to take Sweden on in September. 

Following Rohan Bopanna’s Davis Cup retirement last year, Yuki Bhambri is India’s highest-ranked doubles player. However, he isn’t pleased with his Paris Olympics snub and has opted out. For the unaware, N Sriram Balaji was selected over him by Bopanna for the Games, which ended a week ago.

“Yuki was not available for selection, and he has not given any reason for his non-availability. We were given a list of available players, and his name did not figure there, so we picked players who were available,” selection committee chairman Nandan Bal told PTI.

“It was Rohan’s decision to play with Balaji. AITA just endorsed that decision. He was a top-10 player and has the privilege to pick his partner; AITA can’t be blamed for that,” an AITA source told PTI.

In Yuki’s absence, Ramkumar Ramanathan will play both singles and doubles.

Sasikumar Mukund suspended

After refusing to play for India in the last three Davis Cup ties, the AITA has suspended Sasikumar Mukund for the Sweden tie. The singles player ranked 476th in the world will also miss the next tie.

“Mukund was handed a two-tie suspension by the Executive Committee for his consistent refusal to play for the national team. He did it three times in a row, so he was not to be considered for two ties. This is the first tie, and he will not be considered in the next one too,” the AITA source said.

Ashutosh Singh new coach, Rohit Rajpal returns as captain

Following Zeeshan Ali’s decision to quit as India’s David Cup coach, the AITA has appointed Ashutosh Singh as the new coach. Apart from Ashutosh, three other individuals were in talks for the role. Mannikkath Balachandran, who’d traveled with Balaji and Bopanna for the Paris Olympics, Bhambri’s childhood coach Aditya Sachdeva, and Nagal’s close friend Somdev Devvarman.

However, in the end, Ashutosh was selected. “The choice for the coach was discussed with the players, and most of them wanted Ashutosh to be the coach,” said the AITA source.

Rohit Rajpal, who’d skipped the Pakistan tie due to personal reasons, has returned as captain. “Captain Rohit Rajpal had discussed it with the players, and we approved it. EC meeting was not required for the appointment of coach,” AITA Secretary General Anil Dhupar said.

Davis Cup: India’s team for World Group I tie vs Sweden

Sumit Nagal, Ramkumar Ramanathan, N Sriram Balaji, Niki Poonacha Siddharth Vishwakarma. Reserve: Aryan Shah