After withdrawing from Asian Games squad in 11th hour, Leander Paes dropped for Davis Cup Serbia tie

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New Delhi, August 28: Veteran Leander Paes was on Tuesday (August 28) dropped from the Indian Davis Cup squad for the World Group away tie against Serbia scheduled from September 14 to 16.

The reigning Asian Games champion pair of Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan will be playing the doubles while three singles players will be Yuki Bhambri, Ramkumar Ramanathan and Prajnesh Gunneswaran. Rohan Bopanna is currently ranked 37 in the ATP doubles list while Divij is a notch below at 38.

The members of the selection committee, SP Misra (Chairman), Balram Singh, Nandan Bal, Rohit Rajpal and coach Zeeshan Ali selected the team via tele-conference. Mahesh Bhupathi and Zeeshan Ali are the non-playing captain and coach respectively. The team will be accompanied by two physios as well for this tie.

Earlier, Paes pulled out of the 2018 Asian Games squad in the last minute creating an unnecessary controversy.

The 45-year-old was apparently miffed with the selectors after he was asked to team up with struggling singles player Sumit Nagal after All India Tennis Association (AITA) agreed to pair country's top doubles players Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan in the men's doubles, on their request.

"It is with a heavy heart that I have to say that I will not be playing the upcoming Asian Games in Indonesia," Paes said then. "Despite my repeated requests, from so many weeks in advance, it is sad that we have not been able to put a doubles specialist in the team for a credible second doubles pairing for the Asian Games."

Squad: Yuki Bhambri, Ramkumar Ramanathan, Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Rohan Bopanna, Divij Sharan, Saketh Myneni.