India's top-ranked singles player Ramkumar Ramanathan, of late, has developed a decent serve and volley game and comeback-man Yuki Bhambri is also comfortable playing on grass courts.
The ITF tribunal has rejected AITA's contention that its Davis Cup team could face security concerns during the World Group I Play-off tie in Islamabad, paving the way for an Indian tennis team's visit to Pakistan for the first time in 60 years.
All eyes will be on veteran Leander Paes, who is the on the cusp of a historic world record in perhaps his last appearance in Davis Cup.
A year before he won his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in 2005, Rafa made his debut in India at the Chennai Open.
Indian Davis Cup team sweats it out at 'mini cauldron', match timings revised due to tough conditions
Britain battled to victory over last year's Davis Cup runners-up Australia in their Finals group stage opener on Wednesday, while Spain and Italy both suffered chastening defeats at home in the premier men's team competition.
'Drawing Canada is golden chance for India to get into World Group'
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.
Since new Davis Cup reforms have been introduced, India will not have to go back to the Asia/Oceania Group immediately.
Doubles exponent Rohan Bopanna retained his place in India's Davis Cup team despite his recent run-in with the national federation, which named a five-member squad for the upcoming World Group I away tie against Finland.
India blunted Pakistan's challenge on the opening day to take a 2-0 lead in the Davis Cup World Group I play-off tie with Ramkumar Ramanathan and N Sriram Balaji rising to the occasion in the high-pressure contest, in Islamabad on Saturday.
Yuki Bhambri returned to Davis Cup action with a commanding victory while Ramkumar Ramanathan did not even need his 'A game' to emerge victorious as India grabbed a 2-0 lead in the World Group I Play-off tie against Denmark, in New Delhi, on Friday.
India will host Denmark on the lush green grass court of Delhi Gymkahna Club for the World Group I tie.
Former India tennis star Vijay Amritraj says the new Davis Cup format will not affect the country much as it is still playing home and away games in Group I and not the World Group matches.
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.
A day after taking down world number one Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, Felix Auger-Aliassime booked Canada's place in the Davis Cup quarter-finals on Saturday with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic in the group stage tie in Valencia.
Sumit Nagal on Monday dropped out of the much-desired bracket following a string of poor show
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.
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.
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.
Being the top seeds, the Indian Davis Cup team received a bye for the first round of the Asia/Oeceania Group I 2016 competition.
Former Indian tennis captain Anand Amritraj has criticized top players Sumit Nagal and Yuki Bhambri for not playing in the Davis Cup, stating that money should not be a factor when representing the country.
Italy's Matteo Berrettini beat Brazil's Joao Fonseca to give his side a flying start and Matteo Arnaldi then outlasted Thiago Monteiro to put the hosts into a 2-0 lead.
The Indian Davis Cup team, whitewashed by formidable Spain in the World Group Play-off tie, were seeded second behind Kazakhstan in the Asia/Oceania Group 1.
Somdev Devvarman learnt a good tennis lesson from Mikhail Youzhny and was outclassed 2-6, 1-6, 3-6 in the first reverse singles, resulting in India's ouster from the elite World Group of the Davis Cup tournament in Moscow on Sunday.
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.
Not used to playing singles anymore, India's Rohan Bopanna found rhythm in nick of time to edge past Hong Chung before Yong-Kyu Lim prevented a Korean whitewash with a gritty win over Ramkumar Ramanathan in the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Group I tie, in Chandigarh, on Sunday.
India's tennis legend Vijay Amritraj said that the country needs to develop quality singles players if it wants to be in the elite group in the world.
The Indian Davis Cup team is set for a battle of gigantic proportions as it takes on five-time champions Spain, who have packed the side with world class performers headlined by the legendary Rafael Nadal in their desperation to reclaim a spot in the elite World Group.
Prajnesh Gunneswaran lost to a lower-ranked Otto Virtanen, while Ramkumar Ramanathan was beaten by Emil Ruusuvuori, leaving India trailing Finland 0-2 in the Davis World Group I, in Espoo, on Friday.
India was handed an easy draw for next year's Davis Cup campaign in Asia/Oceania Group I, pitted against Chinese Taipei in their first round tie.
India's Davis Cup tie against Pakistan at Islamabad next month has been postponed to November under "exceptional circumstances" after a security review, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said on Thursday.
Sumit Nagal has been dropped from the five-member Indian Davis Cup team for the World Group 1 play-off tie against Denmark in New Delhi next month.
World No 15 India will now compete in the Zone Group action later this year.
Bhupathi's captaincy on line in Italy tie
The draw for the September 19-21 play-offs was announced on Wednesday.
Five-times Davis Cup champions Spain will host Britain in the first round of the 2018 competition.
Prajnesh Gunneswaran and Ramkumar Ramanathan will lead the singles challenge, while Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan will make the doubles pair for the grass court tie.
Davis Cup: Ramkumar to lead Indian challenge against Pakistan on grass courts
John Fitzgerald has been reappointed non-playing captain of Australia's Davis Cup squad for 2008 despite failing to keep the 28-times champions in the World Group. Australia lost their place in the elite World Group for the first time since 1991 when they lost a relegation tie against Serbia in September.
