Indian tennis star Mahesh Bhupati turns down the decision from the All India Tennis Association (AITA) to replace him as the captain of the Indian Davis Cup team against arch-rival Pakistan, saying he is available and believes he is “still captain” following ITF’s decision of changing the India-Pakistan Davis Cup 2019 tie to a neutral venue.
On Monday, AITA named Rohit Rajpal, a former India player and chairman of the national tennis federation’s selection panel, as the non-playing captain of India for the Davis Cup tie against Pakistan after Mahesh Bhupathi denied to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns for the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I tie.
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Mahesh Bhupati finally broke his silence on the Davis Cup controversy as he revealed that he had received any call from Hiranmoy Chatterjee, the chairman of AITA on Monday, informing him that he has been replaced as by Rohit Rajpal as the captain of the Davis Cup team.
The 45-year-old divulged that he has not heard from the AITA ever since ITF decided to shift the venue of the India-Pakistan Davis Cup tie to a neutral venue. Mahesh Bhupathi also explicated that he still believes that he is the captain of the team unless told otherwise.
“To everyone so concerned for my thoughts and comments. All I know is from a phone call with Mr. Chaterjee on Monday where I was told that Rohit is replacing me as Captain because I wasn’t comfortable going to Pakistan” he tweeted.
“I have not heard from the AITA since Monday or after the ITF addressed the players’ concerns on the venue and approved a neutral location – so I am available and believe in am still Captain unless I hear otherwise! Glad to “comment” when I know what I know,” Bhupathi further noted in his second tweet.
