Andy Murray is happy to play the role of Davis Cup super-sub ahead of three ties this week.
Great Britain take on the United States in Glasgow from 4pm on Wednesday with one top-50 player in Jack Draper omitted from the team and another in Murray struggling for selection in the singles rubbers.
Cameron Norrie looks likely to be the focal point for the team in the singles with Dan Evans, and Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski teaming up in the doubles just a few days after their US Open final.
Murray insists that, whatever happens over the course of the ties against the US, Netherlands and Kazakhstan, he was happy to just be back on Davis Cup duty.
“It’s a slightly different situation than five or 10 years ago when I was playing Davis Cup but the job remains the same,” he said. “I don’t expect to play. Everyone that is sitting up there deserves the opportunity to compete and, if I don’t play at all, then I trust the players who go out there will go and do a great job and win matches for us.
“All of us want the same goal – the goal is the same for everyone, just to try and be the best teammate that you can and support everyone. If you get called upon, go out there and give it your best and try and get some wins.”
Murray opted to miss last year’s Davis Cup in order to rest but he admitted it was a decision he had gone on to regret. He said: “I spoke to Leon about that and, if I was in a position to be selected, I wanted to be part of the team again.”
For his part, Smith said it was a “huge privilege” to have Murray back in his line-up and that he remained a “role model” for the rest of the team however he was called upon this week.
