Sumit Nagal, who had impressed on his Davis Cup debut against Spain in September, has been dropped from the team for the upcoming New Zealand tie due to serious breach of discipline, PTI reported.
The report stated that during the tie against Korea in Chandigarh in July last year, 19-year-old Nagal, who was a reserve member in the squad, skipped morning practice sessions due to a hangover, among other transgressions.
“We got to know that he finished the mini-bar in his hotel room. He is a very talented guy but when you are only 19 years old and you are getting a chance to be in the Indian team and you miss practise sessions, it’s not acceptable,” an All India Tennis Association source said.
Nagal, who burst into limelight after winning the junior 2015 Wimbledon doubles title, is also reported to have brought his girlfriend to Delhi during the Spain tie without permission.
“He did not ask anyone before bringing his girlfriend to Delhi. When he arrived at the hotel, the girl was with him. Captain Anand Amritraj promptly asked him to send her back which he did,” the source claimed.
In lieu of the developments, AITA named a five-member squad for the Asia/Oceania Group I tie, scheduled for February 3-5 when usually the norm is to have six members, including two reserves.
Nagal has also faced heat for his decision to concede the dead fifth rubber against Marc Lopez due to alleged breathing problems on the last day of the tie against Spain.
“In the reverse singles, he did not want to finish the match. He kept on saying he wants to retire since he is having breathing problem. He is a young player, if he is not able to play, what is his place in the team.”
An AITA official confirmed the incident but said the door has not been closed on Nagal permanently.
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