Yuki Bhambri doubtful for Davis Cup tie against Korea with right-leg strain

File Image: Yuki Bhambri is doubtful for India’s Davis Cup tie against Korea after suffering a right-leg strain during practice at the US Open. | Photo Credit: PTI

India’s Yuki Bhambri is a doubtful starter for the upcoming Davis Cup tie against Korea in Seoul after suffering a right-leg strain during practice ahead of his US Open main-draw match.

Bhambri did not travel to Seoul with the first batch of Indian players that left on Thursday night, adding uncertainty over his availability for the crucial tie, where the winner will seal a place in the elite eight-team Davis Cup Finals.

The 32-year-old termed the injury a minor strain and assured that there was no threat to his Asian Games participation later this month.

“This (strain) happened before the main-draw match during practice. This is a minor strain. There is no timeline set for my recovery, but there is nothing major,” Bhambri told PTI.

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Bhambri is being monitored on a day-to-day basis and is consulting the Indian Davis Cup team support staff, including Debashish Das and Yash Pandey, to assess his recovery.

“There is still pain. It’s a day-by-day situation. We will see how it goes,” he said.

The injury, though, is not expected to jeopardise Bhambri’s participation in the Asian Games.

“I am competing in the Asian Games one hundred per cent. We will see if we can recover for Davis Cup,” he said.

If Bhambri is unable to recover in time, India could explore alternative doubles combinations, with N Sriram Balaji and singles specialist Dhakshineswar Suresh among the possible options.

Siddharth Rawat and Arnav Paparkar are reserve players in the squad, but both are singles players.

According to AITA sources, left-handed Anirudh Chandrasekar has already been asked to link up with the squad in Seoul following a request from captain Rohit Rajpal. Chandrasekar already has a Korean visa.

AITA has also applied for a visa for Niki Poonacha.

“We are good enough to beat Korea in doubles, and there is no dearth of doubles options in India,” Bhambri said.