India to announce Davis Cup squad for Pakistan by August 5

Mahesh Bhupathi

Kolkata: Pakistan-bound Indian Davis Cup squad will be announced by August 5, more than a month in advance for the September 14-15 Group I Asia/Ocenia fixture in Lahore, AITA secretary general Hironmoy Chatterjee said here yesterday.

No Indian Davis Cup squad has travelled to Pakistan since March 1964 and in that tie, held in Lahore, India had won 4-0. "We will announce the squad by August 5. The squad will be more or less the same (that played against Italy). It's all about rankings," said Chatterjee.

"The visa procedure for Pakistan is lengthy and we will soon start the formalities," he added. Chatterjee said India No. 1 Prajnesh Gunneswaran and Ramkumar Ramanathan are most likely to be the singles one-two choice with Yuki Bhambri and Sumit Nagal injured, while Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan will be the doubles pair.'

Non-playing captain Mahesh Bhupathi and coach Zeeshan Ali, whose contracts had ended with India's 1-3 loss to Italy in the Davis Cup Qualifiers at South Club here in February this year, are all set to continue for this Pakistan leg.

"We have not yet discussed (their replacements) and they will travel to Pakistan," he said.

The tie is slated at the grasscourts of Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad and the winners will make the 2020 Qualifiers.

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