After a long time, India again have a chance to be back in the Davis Cup World Group, says SportsCenter’s Ash’ar Khan.

India have progressed from the zonal stage of the Davis Cup tie for the first time in a decade, thanks to Australia forfeiting their Asia/Oceania Group 1 tie in Chennai due to security concerns. India now face South Africa and have a fair chance of progressing to the 2010 World Group, given the world rankings of their opponents.

India had their best chance of winning the Davis Cup in 1974 when they faced South Africa in the final. But, protesting against apartheid, India refused to travel to South Africa and the hosts were awarded the title. Post apartheid, India will now travel to South Africa in September to reclaim a berth in the Davis Cup World Group. They have a good shot at making it to the World Group for the first time since .

"South Africa do not have any player in the top 100 in world rankings and India have a good young team that has been doing well. They have a great opportunity to beat South Africa," Akhtar Ali, former India Davis Cup coach, said.

India's top singles player, Somdev Devvarman, is ranked 140th in the world, while South Africa's highest-ranked singles player Kevin Anderson is 149. India's doubles pair of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati, who has not lost a single match in Davis Cup together since 1996, brightens the visitors' chances.

"If we make it 1-1 in singles, Mahesh and Leander can certainly make it 2-1 against South Africa and put pressure on the hosts," Leander Paes' father Dr. Vece Paes said.

The winning team will advance to the 2010 World Group, but it will not be a cake-walk for India since South Africa have come through after whitewashing Belarus 5-0. The contest will be more intriguing as India number one Somdev thrives on hard courts, just like the South African players.