Players back Bhupathi; removed for raising security concern in Pak

Davis Cup players have fully supported Mahesh Bhupathi and questioned his highly controversial removal from the position of non-playing Davis Cup team captain for raising security concerns in Islamabad. Bhupathi was called by AITA secretary Hiranmoy Chatterjee on Monday hours before ITF decision that shifted the venue for India vs Pakistan Davis Cup tie out of Islamabad to a neutral venue - endorsing the stand taken by Bhupathi.

"What was the compelling reason to take such a shocking decision just hours before ITF's stand on shifting the venue. When ITF has endorsed our and Bhupathi's views - why then he has been punished? He only raised valid and real issues of security concerns in Pakistan which is a players issue. Even ITF thought so & shifted the venue but AITA punished Bhupathi, why?", a top Davis Cup player told Republic TV in a telephonic conversation.

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The player said the AITA  was ready to compromise national interest by fielding a depleted and second-string team for Davis Cup. "They were ready to play in Pakistan somehow. What was the compelling reason? Why so much interest in playing there that a second-string team without top players was fielded," he asked.

Sources close to Bhupathi said he was not allowed to speak during a meeting in AITA head office in Delhi two weeks back that took a decision to field a depleted second-string team for Pakistan tie. Bhupathi also raised the issue with the AITA in a tweet on Wednesday saying he got a call from AITA on Monday before ITF decision and since then no communication has happened between them implying that in the changed scenario, AITA must reconsider its earlier decision. All the Davis Cup players want Bhupathi to be reinstated as India's non-playing captain.

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