Yesterday, Paes had even started his training with an eye on being selected in the team's playing four.

With Paes out of the equation, Bopanna and Balaji will feature in the doubles match against Farrukh Dustov and Sanjar Fayziev. Bopanna is ranked 24th in the world -- 29 spots above Paes (No. 53).

Ramkumar Ramanathan will now spearhead India's singles challenge in place of injured Yuki Bhambri.

Ramanathan will face Temur Ismailov in the first singles rubber on Friday. Prajnesh Gunneswaran, who replaced the injured Bhambri, will then take on Fayziev in the second singles rubber.

In the reverse singles on Sunday, Ramanathan will face Fayziev and Gunneswaran will play the final rubber against Ismai.

Doesn't have to be like this: Paes

Meanwhile, Paes made his displeasure known to a group of journalists in Bengaluru after the announcement.

"I'm here to support the country and support the Davis Cup based on the criteria I was told -- which is form.

"That being said, the team was chosen two weeks ago based on ITF form in Futures. Whereas I just won an ATP Challenger. Also, as I always do my due diligence, as a thorough professional playing for the country, Bangalore's altitude is 920m. Mexico altitude is 1,800m-plus which is double. When I got here yesterday morning for practice, I was feeling the ball very well, as you guys saw. That being said, the criteria is form, which obviously doesn't seem to be the case. It seems to fluctuate a lot.

"Whatever the criteria are, it should be stuck by," he added. "At one time, it is based on rankings, the other time it is not based on ranking, it is based on likes and personal preferences. Then it is not personal preferences, it is based on who plays deuce court and ad court. Now it is based on form. On form, you guys know better who has played better."

Paes said he was told he was out of the contest based on form. "I was told it is based on form. All this nonsense shouldn't be there when it comes to playing for the country. I firmly believe in one simple phone call -- you are needed or you are not needed. As simple as that. Doesn't have to be like this."

Paes, who made his Davis Cup debut against Japan in 1990 at Jaipur, has been dropped from the Davis Cup team based on form for the first time in 27 years.

Paes is also on the cusp of creating a Davis Cup history.

Paes is currently locked at 42 with Italian legend Nico Pietrangeli and is one win away from the record for most doubles wins in Davis Cup history.

Wasn't willing to take the risk of throwing Leander, Bala together: Bhupathi

Defending his decision to drop Paes in India's final four-man team for Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group I tie against Uzbekistan, non-playing skipper Bhupathi insisted that he wasn't willing to take the risk of playing Paes and N. Sriram Balaji together in such a high pressure game.

"These boys have been here since Sunday and we were able to play a lot of sets with Rohan and Bala. Since Sunday, they literally played sets every day. Leander unfortunately only came yesterday and he played only three games and it started raining," Bhupathi told the media.

"In such a high pressure situation such as Davis Cup, throwing on Leander and Bala would have been another roll on a dice for me, which considering I have two debutants, I wasn't willing to take that much risk," he added

When asked whether Leander would have been included in the team had he arrived earlier, Bhupathi said, "Well, if I had the full team on Sunday or Monday, I would have had more time to make a proper, educated decision which I did."

The 42-year-old also insisted that every captain has a different style and he thought I made his still pretty clear to the entire squad two months ago.

"I am going to run the team the way I think it should be run and 20-25 years of experience should give me that ability to do so and I am not saying it's a right way but the fact is that I am dealing with two new kids, injuries, boys who have never played four sets, forget about five sets, I have to find every possible way to win those three points and I think this is the best chance," he said.

Bhupathi, however, insisted that Paes' exclusion from the Davis Cup tie doesn't mean that it is the end of the road for him.

"I have made it clear to everyone including Leander that this is by no means the end of the road, his being on the team is invaluable. The experience and the energy he brings to the Davis Cup is un-matchable," he insisted.

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