Somdev has a heavy workload to shoulder as India take on hosts Japan in their bid to re-enter the elite Davis Cup World Group, beginning Friday.
India had lost 1-4 to top seeded Serbia in the first round to once again face the play offs, while Japan scored a influential 4-1 win over Uzbekistan to give themselves a opportunity to make the 16-nation World Group for the first time since 1985.
Back spasms have forced Paes to miss the flight to Tokyo and in his absence, the doubles rubber on the second day of the tie has now turn into a complicated issue.
Surprisingly, India has decided to field Somdev, or else of Rohan Bopanna, along with Mahesh Bhupathi in the doubles rubber against the home pair of Kei Nishikori and Go Soeda.
It means that 64th ranked Somdev will have to play on all three days, beginning with the opening singles of the tie against 174th ranked Yuichi Sugita on Friday and then the reverse singles against Nishikori on Sunday.
Seemingly, India's non-playing captain S P Misra wants Bopanna, another enormous doubles player, to concentrate on just singles.
Bopanna has done tremendously well in the singles in the Davis Cup and his real challenge will be against world number 55 Nishikori.
Somdev will start as favorite against Sugita and if Bopanna can turn the tables on Nishikori, India's job would turn easy.
Nishikori is coming into the tie following a hip and back injury, which he endured at the US Open.
India had lost 1-4 to top seeded Serbia in the first round to once again face the play offs, while Japan scored a influential 4-1 win over Uzbekistan to give themselves a opportunity to make the 16-nation World Group for the first time since 1985.
Back spasms have forced Paes to miss the flight to Tokyo and in his absence, the doubles rubber on the second day of the tie has now turn into a complicated issue.
Surprisingly, India has decided to field Somdev, or else of Rohan Bopanna, along with Mahesh Bhupathi in the doubles rubber against the home pair of Kei Nishikori and Go Soeda.
It means that 64th ranked Somdev will have to play on all three days, beginning with the opening singles of the tie against 174th ranked Yuichi Sugita on Friday and then the reverse singles against Nishikori on Sunday.
Seemingly, India's non-playing captain S P Misra wants Bopanna, another enormous doubles player, to concentrate on just singles.
Bopanna has done tremendously well in the singles in the Davis Cup and his real challenge will be against world number 55 Nishikori.
Somdev will start as favorite against Sugita and if Bopanna can turn the tables on Nishikori, India's job would turn easy.
Nishikori is coming into the tie following a hip and back injury, which he endured at the US Open.
