"When I play, I play for my country" - Nandan Bal criticizes players for skipping national duty over AITA discontent

Nandan Bal, chairman of the All India Tennis Association (AITA) selection committee, has shared his thoughts about top Indian tennis players making themselves unavailable for national duty.

His remarks came in light of India’s recent 0-4 loss to Sweden in the Davis Cup. Following the defeat, the absence of key players like Sumit Nagal, Yuki Bhambri and Mukund Sasikumar has become a matter of discussion and controversy.

The players were unhappy with AITA’s functioning, which appears to be a major reason behind their refusal to participate.

Nandan Bal has acknowledged the grievances of the players. However, he stated that such issues should not deter players from representing their country.

“I don't agree when a player says that, because the team atmosphere is not good or they are not happy with the association, that he will not play,” Nandal Bal was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

He added that personal issues with the association should not come in the way of fulfilling the honor of playing for India on the global stage.

“When I play, I play for my country, I am not playing for AITA. Maybe I am from a different generation or think differently, but even after all those arguments, I will still play for my country," Nandan Bal further said.

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Nandan Bal opens up on player's professional careers vs national duty, cites personal example

The impact that national duty could have on their professional careers is also a reason players state for their withdrawal. Many top players feel that taking time off from their professional tournaments, only to deal with sub-par management in the national setup, is not worth the effort.

Nandan Bal, however, strongly disagreed with this reasoning, citing an example from his own playing days.

Bal stated that during his time, players balanced both their professional careers and national duties, even if it came at the cost of their individual rankings.

“I was part of the squad picked for the 1982 Asian Games (in Delhi). We were called for six two-week camps that year. That's 12 weeks, and here we are talking about 12 days a year,” he said.

Nandal Bal admitted that playing for India had affected his professional ranking, which dropped from a career-high of 309 to 503 by the end of 1983.

"We were also making a living out of playing tennis. As a result, one can check the records, my ranking was somewhere around (a career-high 309) at the start of the year (1981), and then it dropped (to 503 at the end of 1983). And the next year, I still played for my country." he added.