India’s top two singles players Sumit Nagal and Sasi Kumar Mukund have conveyed to the national tennis federation that they won’t travel to Pakistan for the next Davis Cup tie.

The baffled All India Tennis Association has decided to discuss the players’ refusal at its next executive committee meeting.

Nagal is India’s best-ranked singles player at No. 141 in the ATP chart and Mukund is second-best at No. 477.

The two players have conveyed their unavailability for the World Group I play-off tie to be played in February but have not specified the reason behind their decision.

It is believed that Nagal did not want to play because the tie would be held on grass courts, a surface not suited to his game. Mukund had opted out of the matches because of “personal reasons”.

“Nagal had conveyed to the team management long back that he should not be considered for the tie against Pakistan because grass court is not his preferred surface,” said an AITA source.

In the current scenario, India’s challenge will be led by Ramkumar Ramanathan, who with his serve-and-volley style is best suited for the tie, the winner of which will stay in World Group I for 2024.

The next best choice for India will be Digvijay Pratap Singh, who made his Davis Cup debut against Morocco in September this year.

Rohan Bopanna has already retired and India, without their top singles player Nagal will not be the overwhelming favourites in the tie.

“This is wrong. When it’s a question of serving the country why would you not do it ? I have put the matter in the hands of the executive committee,” Anil Dhupar, AITA secretary genearal said.

“There is no choice for players if they want to represent India. But I am nobody to take a call. The call has to be taken by the executive committee. If the player is sick and injured, I can understand but this is not the first time that Mukund has made himself unavailable for national duty. He has done it twice,” he added.