ZAGREB — Sumit Nagal was routed by world No. 37 Marin Cilic after Rohan Bopanna and Leander Paes won the do-or-die doubles as India lost the Davis Cup qualifiers 3-1 to Croatia here on Saturday.
Nagal could win just one game in the match which the 2014 US Open champion won 6-0 6-1 in just 56 minutes.
The fifth rubber is now inconsequential and India will now compete in World Group I in September to get back to the Davis Cup qualifiers.
Earlier, Paes and Bopanna won 6-3 6-7 (9) 7-5 after two hours and 21 minutes against Mate Pavic and Franko Skugor, ranked 15 and 32 respectively. The Indians missed two match points in the second set tie-breaker but won the decisive third set in which they fell behind after Bopanna lost his serve. With this win, the 46-year-old Paes extended his Davis Cup record of most doubles victory to 45.
India have lost to Serbia, Canada and Italy at the same stage in the last few years.