India, Feb. 7 -- The faster playing conditions in Bengaluru are expected to suit Dhakshineswar Suresh more than India's top singles player Sumit Nagal as the hosts take on the Netherlands in the Davis Cup Qualifier round one tie, starting Saturday. With Nagal returning from a minor hip injury, India are likely to lean heavily on Dhakshineswar's ability to exploit the quicker surface. The conditions reward first-strike tennis and aggressive shot-making, an area where Dhakshineswar has shown he can thrive under pressure.

Nagal has been recovering well and has looked increasingly comfortable in practice, but questions remain over how his body will respond once the tie moves into high-intensity match play. The physical demands of singles at ...