India’s non-playing skipper Mahesh Bhupathi on Tuesday left Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna in the reserves for the upcoming Asia/Oceania Group I second round tie against Uzbekistan.
Yuki Bhambri, Ramkumar Ramanathan, Sriram Balaji and Prajnesh Gunneswaran have all been nominated in India’s four-member team. The selection has raised a few eyebrows as all four are primarily singles players.
According to Bhupathi, Paes and Bopanna were left out of the main team as they have so far failed to deliver results.
“Bala [Sriram Balaji], Prajnesh [Gunneswaran] and Yuki [Bhambri] have all been playing very well. This is my team for now. Obviously I have picked them on form,” Bhupathi said.
“The way I want to continue down my captaincy is you need to give everyone an opportunity and results need to speak. These boys have won a lot of matches coming in, both Leander [Paes] and Rohan [Bopanna] haven’t.”
Paes has not won an ATP tour men’s doubles title for the past two years. Bopanna woo has had a patchy run of form. He began the year by emerging victorious at the Chennai Open but has since seen early-round exits in Rotterdam, Marseille and Indian Wells.
The 42-year-old, however, did not rule out game-time for the two, adding that he could change the make-up of the side.
“It doesn’t mean they won’t get to play because if the practice weeks throws up something that I haven’t noticed then I always have the opportunity to change.”
The tie is scheduled to be held in Bangalore from April 7 to 9.
