India team for Billie Jean King Cup: New faces make the cut, Shalini replaces Vishal Uppal as captain

The selection was done by the committee with Nandan Bal as the chairman. Balram Singh, Mustafa Ghouse and Sai Jayalakshmy were the other members of the selection committee.

The 23-year-old Vaidehi Chaudhary had recently won her second ITF women’s singles title in Gurugram. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Sahaja Yamalapalli and Vaidehi Chaudhari make it to the Indian team along with the regulars Ankita Raina, Karman Thandi and Rutuja Bhosale, for the Asia-Oceania Billie Jean King Cup women’s tennis tournament to be staged at the Olympic Tennis School in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from April 11 to 15.

The selection was done by the committee with Nandan Bal as the chairman. Balram Singh, Mustafa Ghouse and Sai Jayalakshmy were the other members of the selection committee.

“These players have consistently performed in the domestic and international tournaments”, said the release from the secretary general of the All India Tennis Association (AITA), Anil Dhupar.

The team will also have Shalini Thakur Chawla as the captain and Radhika Kanitkar as the coach.

Vishaal Uppal was the captain for the last four years, and had guided India to the World Group play-off for the first time ever.

It will be a tough competition this time as the Asian power house China and Japan figure in the group stage. Korea and Thailand, along with host Uzbekistan complete a strong line up.

The top two teams will qualify for the next stage, while the bottom two, after the round robin league, will be relegated to group-2.

India squad

Ankita Raina, Karman Kaur Thandi, Rutuja Bhosale, Sahaja Yamalapalli and Vaidehi Chaudhary.

Shrivalli Bhamidipaty (Reserve) Captain: Shalini Thakur Chawla Coach: Radhika Kanitkar.

Captain: Shalini Thakur Chawla; Coach: Radhika Kanitkar; Physio: Ajeeta Goel.