Bopanna to play opening singles

New Delhi:

Rohan Bopanna has a tough task on hand as he prepares to launch India's campaign in the Davis Cup tie against Kazakhstan in Almaty from Friday.

India's top ranked player will take on Dmitry Makeyev in the opening singles in the Asia-Oceania Group 1 relegation play-off to be played on indoor hard courts.

The 26-year-old from Coorg will then pair up with captain Leander Paes in the Saturday's doubles before playing the first reverse singles on Sunday.

Karan Rastogi will play the hosts' number one player Alexei Kedriouk in the second singles, as per the draw made on Thursday in Almaty.

In the doubles rubber, Bopanna and Paes are to go up against Kedriouk and Makeyev.

Bopanna will then face-off Kedriouk in the first reverse singles and Rastogi plays Makeyev in the second rubber scheduled for Sunday.

This is the first ever tie between the two teams in the history of the men's team tennis competition.

The winner of the tie stays in Group 1 for next season while the loser is pushed to a final round of play-off later this year.

India were forced into the play-off after a 4-1 away loss to Uzbekistan in February.