Zeeshan Ali will take over as India's non-playing captain, exactly 60 years after his father Akhtar Ali had played a key role in the country's Davis Cup victory in Pakistan in 1964.
Sports Minister Ajay Maken has questioned the All India Tennis Association's decision to pair feuding former partners Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi for the Olympics, asking why just one team is being insisted upon for the event where the country can send two.
An independent tribunal of the ITF will now deliberate upon the appeal and make a final decision by November 18.
AITA secretary Anil Khanna asked Mahesh Bhupathi to keep the country's interest in mind while making it clear that only 'the best' team, which has already been announced, will be sent to the Beiging Games.
She was forced to partner Leander Paes during the 2012 Olympic Games in London but this time around World No. 1 doubles player Sania Mirza claimed she has 'conveyed' her decision to the All India Tennis Federation about her preferred mixed doubles partner at the Rio Games.
'We are not interested in forfeiting the tie. We look forward to working with the ITF to find a solution that guarantees the safety of all the players'
Bhupathi had, on Sunday, made public his WatsApp chat with Paes, to counter accusations that he used his position as Davis Cup team captain to exclude the latter from the playing squad.
India's top singles player Somdev Devvarman's decision to concentrate on the ATP tour at the expense of the upcoming Asian Games has come under sharp criticism from the All India Tennis Federation.
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