By IANS
New Delhi : India’s non-playing captain Leander Paes Friday justified his decision to select young Somdev Varman over an unfit Prakash Amritraj saying that it was his duty to protect his players.
However, media reports quoted Amritraj Friday saying that he is unhappy with the captain’s decision to exclude him from the opening tie as he has recovered full fitness. The reports said: “He was 100 percent fit and not recovering from any thing.”
“People can claim what they want to. I haven’t read the reports, but I have heard about them,” Paes responded. “At the end of the day, as a captain it’s my responsibility to protect my players,” he told reporters after the opening day’s singles at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association here.
Amritraj had been nursing a stomach ailment since the start of the week, which prompted Paes to select young Somdev ahead of him as the second singles player alongside Rohan Bopanna.
Paes also questioned Amritraj’s professionalism, saying: “It was a little unprofessional of him (Prakash) to go out on Saturday night and fall sick on Sunday.”
The non-playing captain said that Amritraj was consulting the team doctor for his ailment, contradicting reports that quoted Amritraj as saying that he did not see any doctor and had informed Paes about his fitness Wednesday evening.
“He wasn’t well and he was consulting the team doctor. However, his stomach is fine now. He had a day’s rest today, which is good for him. I won’t mind giving him an extra day of rest if he feels so,” said Paes.