Paes to lead new look team for Davis Cup tie against Uzbekistan

New Delhi, Jan 30 (UNI) Veteran Leander Paes will lead a new look 5-member Indian Davis cup team in Asia/Oceania tie against Uzbekistan to be held in Namangan (Uzbekistan) from February 9 to 11.

With Mahesh Bupathi refusing to play with Paes and two other main players -- Prakash Amritraj and Rohan Bopanna -- opting out, the AITA was left with no alternative but to go for new faces.

The All India Tennis Association (AITA) selection committee headed by Shyam Minotra, which met here today, decided to continue with Paes as captain.

Other members of the team are Karan Rastogi, Vivek Shokeen and Somdev Kishore Devvarman. Sunil Kumar Sipaeya will accompany the squad as the fifth member.

''Prakash Amritraj was not considered due to medical reasons.

Though Rohan Bopanna was the automatic choice of the selection committee and had earlier made himself available for the tie, he has now opted out,'' Minotra said in a statement.

The team is scheduled to leave for Namangan (Uzbekistan) on February 2.

UNI