India captain Vishal Uppal struck a confident note ahead of the Billie Jean King Cup Asia-Oceania Group I ties, insisting the team is well-prepared despite an injury setback.
Speaking at the DLTA Complex, Uppal said unseasonal rain in Delhi hasn’t hampered preparations.
“We are used to much hotter conditions in April in Delhi, but weather is something we can’t control. We’ve had good practice sessions and I feel the team is ready to perform at its optimum level,” he said.
Tough Field Awaits
India will face a competitive six-team field featuring Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand, Mongolia, and New Zealand.
“It’s the top group in Asia and there are a lot of quality players. It’s going to be a big challenge for every team and we should see some exciting
tennis over the next week,” Uppal added.
Injury Blow Managed
India will be without Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, but Uppal revealed the team had already prepared for the situation.
“We knew about her injury before the week started, so we had already factored that in and made the necessary changes. We have enough depth in the squad and I believe these girls have what it takes for us to qualify,” he said.
Replacement Zeel Desai, called in at short notice, embraced the opportunity.
“To play for your country is a privilege. I’m very excited and we will go out and give our best,” she said.
Players Fired Up
The squad echoed their captain’s optimism. Sahaja Yamalapalli highlighted the team’s fighting spirit: “It’s an honour to represent the country… we just want to fight for every point.”
Veteran Ankita Raina stressed the advantage of familiarity.
“We know the teams and players, their strengths and weaknesses. We’ll take it match by match… we believe we can achieve our goal again,” she said.
Home Crowd the X-Factor
Uppal believes playing at home could provide the edge India needs.
“When you play for India, your passion remains the same whether at home or abroad. But we hope the crowd turns up in large numbers and becomes the X-factor for us,” he said.
(with PTI inputs)
