By IANS
New Delhi : India’s non-playing captain Leander Paes Thursday sprang a surprise by naming young Somdev Varman as the second singles player to play Uzbekistan in the crucial Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group I tie Friday at the R.K. Khanna Stadium here.
The draw, which took place Thursday morning in presence of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, pitted India’s highest ranked singles player Rohan Bopanna against second best Uzbek player Farrukh Dustov in the opening singles. Then Somdev will take on a much-improved Denis Istomin in the second rubber.
Two days ago, Paes did drop a hint that Somdev was very much in his calculations for a singles slot, praising the US-based Tripura lad as an all-surface player who could adapt to grass court easily.
India’s best grass court player Prakash Amritraj, who has been suffering from Delhi belly for the last three days, has recovered sufficiently to team up with veteran pro Mahesh Bhupathi in the doubles against Istomin and Dustov Saturday.
In the reverse singles Sunday, Bopanna will play Istomin, while Somdev runs into Dustov.