Indian Davis Cup team capped its historic visit to Pakistan after 60 years by sealing its place in World Group I as it blanked Pakistan 4-0 with Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni recording a comfortable victory and Niki Poonacha making a winning debut, in Islamabad on Sunday.
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) selection panel picked a five-member squad in which Mukund will be the highest-ranked singles player at number 368.
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Tuesday sought the Sports Ministry's advice on the national team's travel to Pakistan for the Davis Cup World Group 1 Play-off tie against the neighbours at Islamabad in February next year.
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Tuesday suggested that the country's top player Sumit Nagal perhaps deliberately missed the Davis Cup tie against Sweden last week
Spain did not need their best players to beat India but then they are taking the World Group Davis Cup play-off tie very "seriously", bringing a strong 20-member contingent to tackle the lower-ranked home players.
Zee Sports will also present live and exclusive coverage of the Federation Cup and India's away ties.
Australia's Mark Philippoussis will face David Nalbandian in the Davis Cup world group semi-final against Argentina.
The draw for the September 19-21 play-offs was announced on Wednesday.
World number two Rafael Nadal has been named in Spain's squad for their Davis Cup World Group quarter-final against Germany in Valencia next month.
Sports Minister M S Gill on Sunday congratulated Indian Davis Cup team for their 3-2 win over Brazil in Chennai, which ensured the country's re-entry to the elite World Group.
In what can be termed a decent draw, India is pitted against Japan in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie, beginning September 16. The winner of the tie will advance to the World Group while the losing nation will compete in the Asia-Oceania Group I zone.
Sasikumar Mukund returned to Davis Cup action with a fluent straight-sets victory over lower-ranked Liova Ayite Ajavon, putting India ahead 1-0 in the World Group I play-off tie against Togo, in New Delhi, Saturday.
As captain, the former world number one led the United States to a 10-8 record in World Group play, including a run to the semi-finals in 2012 and 2018, the latter which ended in a loss to Croatia 11 days ago.
The Australian Open champion will lead Russia in next month's Davis Cup World Group opening round tie against Chile.
India will host five-time champions Spain on the hard courts of Delhi Lawn Tennis Association in the Davis Cup World Group Play-off tie, scheduled for September 16-18.
The Chinese team were due to travel to Romania for a March 6-7 playoff but will be unable to do so due to "increased restrictions" in response to the outbreak, the ITF said in a statement on Twitter.
A summary of Friday's action in the Davis Cup group stage matches.
Hauling itself up from World Group II should not be a complicated task for India when it takes on an unostentatious Morocco in the home tie, which will be more of a celebration of Rohan Bopanna's Davis Cup career.
The U.S. Open runner-up has already won 24 Davis Cup singles matches and needs one more to eclipse Adrian Quist's Australian record.
They need to beat Thailand to advance to the World Group finals.
Andy Murray believes the unique Glasgow atmosphere can fire Britain to the Davis Cup final after the Scottish city was on Wednesday confirmed as the venue for the semi-final against 28-times champions Australia.
Davis Cup: Strong Indian team is firm favourite against Pakistan in historic clash
Rafael Nadal to play against Ram Kumar Ramanathan on the first day of their Davis Cup World Group play-off tie in New Delhi on Friday.
'Drawing Canada is golden chance for India to get into World Group'
Scripts win with Yuki Bhambri in final tie against Morocco.
Indian tennis star Leander Paes was ruled out of the upcoming Davis Cup World Group play-off tie against Japan as he has not recovered from the back injury, he suffered during the US Open.
Rohan Bopanna revealed that he will bring curtains down on his Davis Cup career when the country hosts Morocco in September
"He's got a severe strain in the area between the calf and the Achilles' tendon in his left leg," federation doctor Angel Ruiz-Cotorro told the RFET Web site.
India's top two singles players Sumit Nagal and Sasi Kumar Mukund have conveyed to the national tennis federation that they won't travel to Pakistan for the next Davis Cup tie.
Sumit Nagal made a comeback to the Indian Davis Cup team for the away World Group I tie against Norway while doubles specialist Divij Sharan was dropped after falling behind in the pecking order, on Thursday.
Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal has withdrawn from the country's upcoming away Davis Cup tie against Finland citing a hip injury and has been replaced by Saketh Myneni in the five-man squad for the indoor contest on September 18-19.
India's best player Yuki Bhambri is back in the squad and that changes the dynamics for the three-day rubber.
Canada's national football team is preparing for their World Cup Group B match against Qatar in Vancouver, aiming to improve on their opening draw with Bosnia & Herzegovina. Coach Jesse Marsch emphasizes setting the tone early and confirms Alphonso Davies' fitness for the crucial game.
'They should come to Pakistan. It's not fair that they do not come to Pakistan. The Indian team is much better than us. We have a beautiful hotel just across the stadium. If Indians come it will send a good message that we are good neighbours.'
India retained its place in the Asia/Oceania group Junior Davis Cup after thrashing Sri Lanka 3-0 in their last match of the World Group qualifying round in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Global players' union FIFPRO has highlighted a "growing pattern of abuse," including racist and discriminatory attacks, against players at the World Cup, both online and in person. The union is demanding urgent collective action from football stakeholders, law enforcement, and social media platforms to protect players and ensure meaningful consequences for perpetrators.
Rohan Bopanna put up a gallant fight against world number 18 Viktor Troicki before losing as India conceded a 0-1 lead against top seed and defending champions Serbia in the first round of the Davis Cup World Group tie in Novi Sad on Friday.
The Australian is still suffering the effects of an injury he picked up during the US Open and had been rested as a precaution.
Leander Paes made a return while Yuki Bhambri was left out of a five-member Indian squad picked for the Davis Cup World Group first round tie against Russia in Moscow from March 5-7.
Rohan Bopanna often gets baffled to find the love of playing Davis Cup diminishing with passage of time.
