Rohan Bopanna's selection over Leander Paes is based on fact, not personal bias

It was not an easy decision right from the start. But, given the controversial tones set in the recent past, the final outcome of the Indian Davis Cup team selection was unnecessarily drawn out. From being kept in the six-member squad as reserves to getting an unexpected chance of making it to the playing quartet, Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna had had a tumultuous time of it.

In the end though, it all came down to each player’s position in the ATP ranking, with the team captain Mahesh Bhupathi drafting the 24th ranked Bopanna into the squad ahead of the 53rd ranked Paes. There are other aspects as well to be considered in Bhupathi’s decision-making.

Performances and records

Repeatedly, over the last couple of Davis Cup ties involving India, the focus has had been centred around Paes going past Nicola Pietrangeli’s record of 42 doubles rubbers’ wins. As a separate entity, it’s truly a momentous achievement to be proud of. But, there’s also been a blurring of the lines in that the potentiality of Paes winning 43 doubles rubbers has superseded the aspect about India winning the tie in question.

At the same time, it’s also piled the pressure on Paes, who in his last two doubles rubbers – against Spain in the 2016 World Group Play-off tie, and against New Zealand in the 2017 Asia/Oceania Group I first round tie – was unable to convert the initial lead in the rubbers into wins. In both doubles rubbers, the Indian doubles team led by a set before losing the latter three sets to give the advantage back to the visiting sides.

The inevitable selection chaos, and all it entails

Paes’ win at the ATP Challenger tournament in Leon, Mexico in the weekend before the Davis Cup tie then satisfactorily put him back in the reckoning to be selected in the four-member playing squad. Nonetheless, the title run couldn’t cover the fact that he has largely struggled in the ATP Tour this year, compiling a 5-7 win-to-loss record. Except for semi-final finishes in Delray Beach and Dubai in February and a quarter-final defeat in Auckland in January, Paes hasn’t been able to conjure up performances that could have justified his potential inclusion into the squad.

Bopanna, too, has had problems in adjusting his game with Pablo Cuevas, with whom he had teamed up at the start of this year. Bopanna and Cuevas lost in the initial rounds in the three major tournaments they partnered, at the Australian Open and more recently, in Indian Wells and Miami.

Despite these defeats though, Bopanna has done well when teaming up with short-term partners to the extent of winning the Chennai Open, and finishing as the runner-up at the Dubai Open. As he does also have a relatively positive, 9-7 win-to-loss ratio so far, in the 2017 season.

Sceptics could then well question Paes’ side-lining from the team as a reflection of the former partners’ soured relationship. The 43-year-old too made no bones about his displeasure in being excluded from the squad, pointing out, “A captain can have his style, but criteria for selection should be transparent. If it were form, I just won an event. That said, team is more important than me. [The] country is even bigger. My full support to the team.”

Is that it for Paes?

But, given that statistical attributes tilt the scale of preference in Bopanna’s direction, to override his candidacy for the team lineup over Paes would have been a lot harsher than what the current scenario appears to be. Moreover, vis-à-vis these statements coming forth from Paes, it does also have to be considered that since he took over the Davis Cup captaincy from Anand Amritraj, Bhupathi has sought to steer discussions about the team away from any controversies.

“I know how to manage the team and how to manage the expectations. What happened before will not happen under my watch. I can promise you one thing, that will never happen again,” he had notably mentioned at the time of the team’s initial selection.

He had also said, “As far as I am concerned there will be never be any issues in the Indian Davis cup team because I know everyone personally.”

There again, with Bhupathi going on to add that he will be implementing a rotational roster from the available six-man team components, Paes still does have a chance to get back into the team, and vie for the overhauling of Pietrangeli’s record.

But, to do so, he primarily needs to set about improving his rankings. It will make his case stronger. Mostly though, it would also nudge India to victory, capping off a uniquely dual accomplishment, whenever it comes about.