Injury forces Paes out of Davis Cup

Leander Paes [ Images ] has pulled out of the crucial Davis Cup World Group play-off tie against South Africa [ Images ] due to shoulder and elbow injuries.

Paes sustained the injuries during the recently-concluded US Open [ Images ] championships where he won the men's doubles trophy and ended runner-up in the mixed doubles event.

Now Rohan Bopanna [ Images ] will have to face the added responsibility of playing in the doubles rubber with Mahesh Bhupathi [ Images ] apart from playing the second singles.

In the changed circumstances, it will be interesting to see if non-playing captain SP Misra hands Yuki Bhambri [ Images ] his first Davis Cup cap.

"It's a tough decision for me but I don't want to be a liability on the team. But this team is excellent and the boys are capable of pulling-off this tie," Paes said.

Akhtar Ali, national selector said, "Leander informed us yesterday that he will not play the tie. But I think Rohan is a capable doubles player, so there should not be any problem. But (Wesley) Moodie is a top player so it makes the doubles rubber tough now for India [ Images ]."