CHENNAI: When India’s squad for the upcoming Davis Cup tie against New Zealand at Pune was announced, the non-selection of Rohan Bopanna was the crux of most headlines. Sumit Nagal, who had made his bow in the competition against Spain late last year, also did not find a place in the side.
However, that was dismissed as a footnote. Some papers did not even make a mention of his ouster. He was dropped in place of lefty Prajnesh Gunneswaran.
On Tuesday, news reports started trickling in that Nagal was actually dropped on grounds of indiscipline during the Korea tie in July. Accounts of how he had flown out his girlfriend during the Spain tie without permission had also apparently caused consternation. However, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) sidestepped those reports.
The body’s secretary general, Hironmoy Chatterjee, said it was much ado about nothing. “The selection committee did not select Sumit Nagal. As simple as that,” he told Express.
‘I can tell you that no disciplinary action has been taken against any player. And it’s not as if Sumit automatically qualifies for the Davis Cup. So if he is dropped, he is dropped.”
Interestingly, Nagal’s name wasn’t there in the list forwarded to the selection committee from AITA. “His name wasn’t even there for selection in the first place,” a source told Express.
“AITA sends out an email to all players about their availability for the Davis Cup. Those names are forwarded to the committee, and they select the team. Nagal wasn’t there in that list. If his name wasn’t there, you obviously can’t choose him. Why? Only the AITA can answer that.
“I don’t know whether it was on grounds of indiscipline, but he did miss a few practice sessions during the Korea tie in Chandigarh,” added the source.
Meanwhile, chairman of the selection committee, SP Misra, did not want to speak about it. “The selection process finished a long time back and I don’t want to discuss it.”