India captain Leander Paes and team members celebrate after the former clinched the tie against New Zealand with a 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 win over Simon Rea in the second reverse singles in Invercargill on Sunday. (AP)

Invercargill: Captain Leander Paes led India to a 3-2 win over New Zealand in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group I first round on Sunday. The Indian ace beat Simon Rea in four sets in the second reverse singles.

Paes thus won all his three matches yet again and caught up with Ramanathan Krishnan’s Indian record of most Davis Cup victories. While Krishnan’s win-loss figures are 69-28, Paes is now at 69-29.

Paes also has the most doubles wins by an Indian (25), going past Premjit Lall on Saturday when he and Mahesh Bhupathi beat Mark Nielsen and Matt Prentice in straight sets.

India entered the final day with a 2-1 lead and were immediately under pressure when Nielsen won the first reverse singles 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 against newcomer Vishal Punna.

Paes, who won his opening singles against New Zealand No. 1 Mark Nielsen on Friday and the doubles on Saturday with Mahesh Bhupathi, turned the tie in India’s favour with a 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 win over Real at the Southland Stadium here.

Paes decided to nominate Punna after No. 1 Harsh Mankad struggled in the opening singles with a groin injury sustained during practice on Wednesday.

Rea put Paes under pressure when he grabbed the first set. But Paes ground out a vital service break in the second and then swept through the last two sets as Rea faltered.

Paes admitted verbally sledging Rea during the decider, but only because home team captain Bruce Derlin started it.

Paes said the taunting started when Rea raced to a 3-0 lead in the opening set and that it was Derlin who shot from the lip first. “Their captain, who knows I’m four feet away from him when I came back out (on court), said ‘you must be feeling the pressure now.

“I thought, ‘all right, boy. You have started the game, so let’s go’. It worked to my advantage... Once that happens, I’m coming at you.”

Paes gained a crucial break in the 12th game of the second set to win it 7-5. It proved to be the turning point of the match and Paes found it humorous when Derlin complained to the umpire about his gamesmanship at the start of the third set.

Paes had stared at Rea after winning the second set, yelling out “yes” as he approached him at the net. “I looked at him (Derlin) and I laughed after he complained. It’s part of it. I think it’s fair, but I wouldn’t have initiated it.”

Derlin was not surprised by Paes’ approach in a must-win rubber and said he warned Rea what to expect from a player who has held the Indian team together for well over a decade. “Guys have got to harden up anyway and get used to that sort of thing,” he said.

(Agencies)