Leander Paes Dropped From India Versus Uzbekistan Davis Cup Tie

New Delhi: India's most successful doubles player ever, Leander Paes has been dropped from the Davis Cup team that will square off against Uzbekistan in the second round of Asia/Oceania zone group 1 tie, to be held in Bengaluru from April 7-9.

Paes, who made his Davis Cup debut against Japan in 1990 at Jaipur, has been dropped from the Davis Cup team on form for the first time in 27 years.

Paes is also on the cusp of creating a Davis Cup history as the veteran is currently locked at 42 with Italian legend Nico Pietrangeli and is one win away from the record for most doubles wins in the tournament.

Leander's exclusion means India's highest ranked doubles player Rohan Bopanna will partner Sriram Balaji in the clash against Farrukh Dustov and Sanjar Fayziev in Bengaluru.

Ramkumar Ramanathan will face Temur Ismailov in the first singles rubber while injured Yuki Bhambhri's replacement Prajnesh Gunneswaran will take on Fayziev in the second singles match.

In the reverse singles on Sunday, Ramanathan will face Fayziev and Gunneswaran will play the final rubber against Ismai.

Earlier, India's non-playing captain Mahesh Bhupathi had said that Paes was looking rejuvenated ahead of the tie and could find a place into the squad.

The 18-time grand slam champion recently won his first title of the season by winning the Leon Challenger Tour tennis tournament's men's doubles trophy.

In the current season, Paes has a 5-7 win-loss record on the ATP tour so far while compatriot Bopanna holds a 9-6 win-loss record.

((With PTI Inputs))