Lee-Hesh rift: Bhupathi clears the air, says has no ‘personal agenda’ against Paes

Even as India thrashed Uzbekistan by winning the Davis Cup 4-1 to advance to the World Group Play-offs in Bengaluru, India’s non-playing captain Mahesh Bhupathi on Sunday opened up about his rift with Leander Paes which widened after the latter was dropped in the final four-man team for the tournament.

Bhupathi had dropped Paes and instead picked Rohan Bopanna in his team for India’s tie against Uzbekistan.

“If I had a personal agenda against Leander then he wouldn’t have been on the squad, but he was and unfortunately he was able to get to Bangalore on Tuesday night which is too late for him practice with anybody to be selected,” said Bhupathi.

“He should have been here on Monday, he knows that and that was one of the main criteria’s. He was obviously playing well because he won the tournament, but for him not to practice with Bala before me announcing the team was very difficult for me to put him in,” he added.

Bhupathi, citing his conversation with Paes through text messages, said that he had always kept his estranged partner on the loop over the team probables for the tie up.

“I spoke to him in February and spoke to him in March …read more