Leander Paes has resigned his captaincy of the Indian Davis Cup team a month before they head into their crucial World Group qualification playoff with Romania.

“India’s number one Davis Cupper Leander Paes informed Anil Khanna, Executive Vice President and Secretary General in a meeting held in Beijing just after the tennis event that he would like to step down as captain of the Indian Davis Cup Team for the tie against Romania,” the AITA said in a statement

Paes was the target of a recent player revolt led by former doubles partner Mahesh Bupathi. The revolt was said to have been sparked by Paes’ public criticism of several Indian Davis Cup team members, who subsequently refused to play under him.

“This man has taken the joy away from playing the Davis Cup,” Davis Cup player Prakash Amritraj was quoted as saying prior to India’s tie with Japan earlier in the year.

The Indian Tennis Association have appointed former Davis Cup player SP Misra as non-playing captain for the Indian team, and have stated that Paes can be expected to keep his place in the team and participate in the upcoming Davis Cup tie.