By IANS
New Delhi : Call it change of heart or cold feet, Karan Rastogi Tuesday reneged on not playing Davis Cup under Leander Paes, though he admits he has issues with him, and hoped the captain would learn from his mistakes.
Rastogi’s dramatic statement has isolated Mahesh Bhupathi, his protégé Rohan Bopanna and Prakash Amritraj and might somewhat weaken their revolt, which was brewing during the Davis Cup tie against Uzbekistan earlier this month, and took a no-holds-barred turn with the leaked letter of the four players to AITA secretary Anil Khanna.
Rastogi is now willing to play under Paes as he feels playing for the country is far more important than getting into controversies over personal matters.
“I am ready to play under any captain. Playing for the nation is more important than personal clashes,” Rastogi said here at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association Complex on the sidelines of the ITF Futures tournament.
“As far as I am concerned, the chapter is closed. I need to focus on my game rather than getting into controversies. I have even sorted out the issue with the All India Tennis Association (AITA).”
Asked the reason for joining hands with the other three players, Rastogi would only go to the extent of saying that he had issues with Paes but feels that the veteran Davis Cupper will learn from his mistakes.
“Obviously, there were issues with Leander (Paes). I am not denying that, but it is human to make mistakes and I hope he (Paes) will learn from his mistakes.”
The 21-year-old Mumbaikar, said the entire sordid drama affected his tennis and career and he was not prepared for that to happen. He said he would not like to get caught in the crossfire.
“I am the smallest guy in the whole issue. Everyone has his own ways of looking at an issue … It was affecting my career. Those guys (Amritraj, Bopanna and Mahesh Bhupathi) are sitting in the US and here I am facing all the music. It was affecting my game,” an anguished Rastogi stated.
He also aid he had conveyed his decision to Amritraj and Bopanna. “I had a telephonic conversation with Prakash (Amritraj) and Rohan (Bopanna) and informed them about my decision. I even tried to contact Leander (Paes). I sent him an SMS, but I didn’t get a reply back.”
Apparently, Rastogi was under tremendous pressure from Amritaj, Bopanna and Bhupathi to join hands with them against Paes and he walked in as he was sulking at being dropped from the Davis Cup squad. But, he soon realised that getting into controversies was not helping his fledgling career.
AITA is in a fix as it cannot let its captain down and at the same time it wants to make it clear to the rebels that they are needed as much as the captain but at the same time they cannot get away for their misdemeanour of leaking the letter without giving it time to sort it out.
When approached by a television channel, Bhupathi refused to react, saying he had nothing to say.
AITA president Yashwant Sinha talked to his senior colleague to take stock of the situation Monday and he was firm that there was no question of letting Paes down, but at the same time the other players should be heard and their grievances should be addressed. He was more concerned about the Team India rather than the individual players. He wanted all the players to know that their honour was paramount to AITA and no player would be allowed to feel slighted or ignored.
Recounting the happenings during the Davis Cup tie, AITA secretary-general Anil Khanna revealed that he had some inkling of the simmering discontent among players, but he had conveyed to the players not to precipitate matters till the Davis Cup tie against Japan in May.
AITA wanted to buy time and at the same time hoped the controversy would blow over. Khanna knew that all the personae dramatis will be in Delhi in May to play back-to-back Challengers and he wanted to meet the players to try and find a working solution. He, however, did not expect the players to jump the gun and force the AITA hands,
In the changed the atmosphere, AITA is considering steps to douse the raging fire as the Japan tie is too far for its comfort. Now that Rastogi has broken off from the ranks of the rebels by going to Khanna and telling him that he was disassociating from the other Davis Cuppers in their revolt against Paes, AITA has some breathing time.