India beat Kiwis in Davis Cup

Rohan Bopanna beat James Shortall to lead India to the Davis Cup World Group play-off with a thumping 4-1 triumph over New Zealand in Kolkata on Sunday.

In the morning, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi overwhelmed Alistair Hunt and Mark Nielsen to give India a 2-1 lead in the Asia-Oceania Group I second round tie.

While Paes and Bhupathi won 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in 100 minutes, Bopanna took 13 minutes less to beat Shortall 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in the first reverse singles on the South Club lawns, reducing the fifth match into a dead rubber.

Paes then steamrolled Robert Cheyne 6-1 6-0 in the second reverse singles.

Paes had scripted an authoritative win over Mark Nielsen on Friday, before Bopanna went down to Alistair Hunt in a gruelling five-setter the next day.