New Delhi: Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan saved three match points in an edge-of-the-seat thriller to prevail over the Danish pair of Frederik Nielsen and Mikael Torpegaard as India kept their place in the Davis Cup World Group I by taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the play-off tie, here on Saturday.

Sharan, playing his first Davis Cup tie since February, 2019, and Bopanna came from behind to win 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(4) in one hour and 58 minutes.

The tense win ensured that India will stay in World Group I for the 2022 season while Denmark will now again go back to World Group II.

Serving to stay in the match in the 12th game of the decider, Sharan faced three match points but the Indian duo held nerves to save all, two of them on second serves, to force a final tie-breaker. They raced to a 4-1 lead and sealed the win when Torpegaard could not make a return on Bopanna's serve.

This is India's first win since they beat Pakistan 4-0 in November, 2019, when Rohit Rajpal took over as non-playing captain. After that India lost to Finland (1-3) and Croatia (1-3) in away ties.

The reverse singles have been rendered inconsequential now.

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