Team India's new look and enthusiasm at the Davis Cup, against Sweden
The lack of depth in Indian tennis' singles lineup and the inexperience of its current Davis Cup team are so severe that Expert in doubles, Sriram Balaji has been picked up once more for singles play in India's World Group I match against Sweden this coming weekend.
The Indian team in Stockholm has an entirely new appearance, lacking No. 1 Sumit Nagal and No. 3 Sasikumar Mukund in addition to No. 2 Yuki Bhambri in doubles. Along with Paris Olympian Balaji and seasoned Davis Cupper Ramkumar Ramanathan, it includes two teenagers, 18-year-old Aryan Shah and 16-year-old Manas Dhamne as reserve and Nagal's replacement, as well as two players ranked outside of the 500, Siddharth Vishwakarma and Niki Poonacha.
In the two singles rubbers on Saturday, India captain Rohit Rajpal selected to field Balaji and Ramkumar against the top-seeded Elias Ymer of the hosts and Leo Borg, the illustrious son of Bjorn Borg.
Although team India lacks the key palyers at the Davis Cup, it has taken with it the most important member for the wellbeing of the team. Dr. Yash Pandey (PT) is accompanying Team India for the Davis Cup as a sports physiotherapist, he is playing a crucial role in ensuring the player's physical well-being and peak performance throughout the tournament.
His proficiency in dealing with injury management is essential given the demanding nature of tennis competitions such as the Davis Cup, where players engage in high-stakes matches with minimal opportunity for recuperation. His presence gives the team confidence that they will be well-supported in handling any physical obstacles, which frees them up to concentrate on their performance.
