Dubai: India coach Zeeshan Ali is convinced his squad has enough firepower to see off Indonesia in their Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Zone Group I relegation play-off next month.

“If we go by the record then we stand a good chance of defeating Indonesia. We have the home advantage and the fact we will be playing with our best team can only help,” Ali told Gulf News during a visit to Dubai last week.

“But then again it’s Davis Cup and anything can happen. But I still feel the odds are in favour of India.”

The first leg of the relegation play-off takes place at the KSLTA Tennis Stadium in Bengaluru from April 5 to 7. India and Indonesia have played each other five times in the Davis Cup since 1961, and their last meeting in 1992 saw India win 5-0.

However, in recent times Indian tennis has witnessed some rough patches, with the majority of national team players refusing to play in their match against South Korea in February. Ali was named coach of the inexperienced side that played in that match and lost 4-1.

Since then, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) has sorted out its differences with the senior players and Ali has had the opportunity to start working with the squad.

“There has been a lot of interaction with the players and I have been in touch with Somdev [Devvarman, one of the players who missed the Korea match] consulting him on various aspects, including the court surface, so that we are suitably prepared for our next Davis Cup tie,” Ali said.

“As a player first and now as coach it is a great honour for me to be able to give back something to my country and to the sport that I have loved all my life.”

Ali, who made his Davis Cup debut as player in 1989 and went on to play in seven ties for his country, added: “My first tie as the Indian coach was not exactly the greatest of starts for me, but for the encounter against Indonesia we have our best team on board and hopefully the result will be in our favour.

“It is the desire of the AITA to have a young team. The challenge now for me is to work over a period of time and ensure Indian tennis heads back to its glory days.”

India have been Davis Cup runners-up three times — in 1996, 1974 and 1987 — and are the only country to have contested more than one final without being crowned champions.