Rohit Rajpal to be India's non-playing captain for Pakistan tie, "end" of Bhupathi era

The national tennis federation on Monday named former India player and chairman of the its selection panel, Rohit Rajpal as India's non-playing captain for the upcoming away Davis Cup tie against Pakistan, signalling end of Mahesh Bhupathi's era.

There was speculation that veteran Leander Paes could be considered for the job after the 46-year-old made himself available following pull-outs from top players and skipper Bhupathi.

The November 29-30 contest in Islamabad has already been rescheduled once owing to security concerns raised by India.

The All India Tennis Association (AITA) decided to appoint Rajpal at its Executive Committee (EC) meeting which was followed by Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Chandigarh.

"Former President Anil Khanna and incumbent Praveen Mahajan proposed Rohit Rajpal's name and everyone agreed. Rajpal will go to Pakistan as non-playing captain and this arrangement is only for this tie, as of now," an AITA source said.

The source added that Bhupathi, whose term had ended in December 2018 but was allowed an extension for the Italy tie in Kolkata, may not be considered for the job, for he refused national duty.

Bhupathi had taken over from Anand Amritraj in December 2016.

"The refusal of Bhupathi to travel to Pakistan has not gone down well with the AITA. I don't think he will be considered for captain's job in future. It's over for him. The AITA wants to continue with the tradition of non-playing captain, so Leander will definitely be considered once he hangs up his boots," said an official, who was part of the meeting.

The AITA has requested the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to shift the tie to a neutral venue and the world governing body is likely to take a final decision later on Monday.

The tie was scheduled to be held in September but was delayed when India expressed concerns about the safety of their players due to the prevailing diplomatic tensions between the two nations.

The hostilities have heightened after Pakistan opposed India's move to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special status and turn it into a Union Territory.

Asked if Rajpal will stay on as captain if the ITF shifts the tie to a neutral venue, an AITA official said, "Yes, there will not be any change as of now irrespective of whether the tie is played in Islamabad or at any neutral venue."
"I am going to approach all the players who have made themselves unavailable and request them to reconsider their decision."