Somdev, Yuki, Sanam return to squad, Bhupathi, Bopanna ignored

Looking at the future, national selectors today drafted three singles specialists in Somdev Devvarman, Yuki Bhambri and Sanam Singh in the Indian Davis Cup squad and effectively ended Mahesh Bhupathi's India-career by ignoring him for the upcoming tie against Indonesia.
Somdev, Yuki, Sanam return to squad, Bhupathi, Bopanna ignored

Looking at the future, nationalselectors today drafted three singles specialists in SomdevDevvarman, Yuki Bhambri and Sanam Singh in the Indian DavisCup squad and effectively ended Mahesh Bhupathi's India-careerby ignoring him for the upcoming tie against Indonesia.

Leander Paes, the highest-ranked at number 8, was theonly doubles specialist in the team as the selectors continuedto ignore Bhupathi (10) and Rohan Bopanna (12).

Paes is likely to be paired with Sanam, who won GuangzhouAsian Games doubles gold medal with Somdev.

The selection committee also named Vijayant Malik and NSriram Balaji as reserves while Ram Kumar Ramnathan and ArjunKadhe were also picked for practice.

S P Misra was retained as non-playing captain but theIndonesia tie will be his last.

Somdev had led a players' revolt demanding better playingconditions, making themselves unavailable for the Korea tie,which India lost 1-4.

The rebellion ended partially when AITA agreed to most ofthe players' demands and players made themselves available forselection for the Indonesia tie in Bangalore from April 5-7.

Bhupathi has publicly said that 2013 would be his lastplaying year and barring a catastrophic result it would alsobe India's last Davis Cup tie of the year, hence Bhupathimay not get a chance to represent the country again.

The selectors reasoned that it made sense in pickingthree singles players because if there are only two singlesplayers and one of them picks up an injury the doubles playerwas forced to play singles.

"We are trying to focus on three singles players. And allthree (selected) players are good doubles players as well.

Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna are also good doublesplayers but Leander Paes is highest ranked," AITA SecretaryGeneral Bharat Oza said.

Asked if it ends Bhupathi's India career, Oza told PTIthat it was not the case. "We are not saying this. We will seewhen we have the next tie."

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