5 months ago
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India's Davis Cup skipper Rohit Rajpal connected Thursday (December 25, 2025) said experienced doubles specializer N. Sriram Balaji remains precise overmuch successful the nationalist reckoning contempt being near retired of the squad for the upcoming necktie against the Netherlands, stressing that squad combinations dictated the selection.
Rajpal explained that the prime was influenced by the request for a deuce-court specializer successful the doubles pairing, with Rithvik Bollipalli fitting that relation alongside Yuki Bhambri, who prefers to play from the advertisement court.
"Looking astatine combinations, we were searching for a deuce-court player. Yuki plays lone from the advertisement court, truthful Rithvik is simply a deuce-court specialist. Balaji volition stay successful the fray," Rajpal told PTI.
The deuce tribunal is the close broadside of the tribunal from wherever each crippled starts , portion the advertisement tribunal (Advantage) is the near side.
The skipper underlined that Balaji's omission should not beryllium seen arsenic a reflection of his quality oregon lasting wrong the team, pointing to the Chennai-based player's proven grounds successful unit situations.
"Balaji has played singles earlier astatine important times for India and has handled important rubbers for the country. He is simply a halfway subordinate of the Indian squad and could precise good beryllium considered for the adjacent tie, if fit," Rajpal added.
India volition look the Netherlands successful the Davis Cup Qualifiers connected February 7-8 successful Bengaluru.
