India were relegated to the Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Zone group II after top seeds Australia blanked them 3-0 in their third and final group I match in Bangkok on Friday.
After successive defeats to Indonesia and New Zealand [Images] in pool A, India again missed the services of Sania Mirza [Images] as Australia gave them a sound thrashing.
Isha Lakhani started the proceedings for the Indians. She wasted a one-set lead and went down 6-3, 4-6, 1-6 to Jessica Moore.
Sunitha Rao was next up but the US-based player was swept aside 3-6, 5-7 by Casey Dellacqua.
The 2-0 Aussie lead made the doubles tie inconsequential, but the top seeds were in no mood to concede even an inch as Dellacqua and Rennae Stubbs beat Sunitha and Shikha Uberoi 7-6(2), 6-0 to complete the rout.
In the other group matches, Taiwan defeated Thailand 3-0, New Zealand blanked Indonesia 3-0, Uzbekistan thrashed Hong Kong 2-1.
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