Competing against some of the top players in the world, a depleted Indian team was routed 0-3 by hosts Kazakhstan in their Fed Cup opener, here on Wednesday.
Playing without its lone top player Sania Mirza, India had no answer to the quality players such as world number 32 Yaroslava Shvedova and 73rd ranked Ksenia Pervak, fielded by the hosts in the Asia/Oceania Group I tie.
First to take the field was national hardcourts runner-up Rishika Sunkara and she failed to win even a single game, going down 0-6, 0-6 against Pervak in the first singles.
Kyra Shroff managed to win one game each in two sets against Shvedova in the second singles, which she lost 1-6, 1-6.
In the doubles rubber, Rutuja Bhosale and Ankita Raina lost 3-6, 1-6 to the home combo of Sesil Karatantcheva and Galina Voskoboeva.
India, playing in three-team Group A, next face Thailand.
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