Australian captain Pat Rafter has named teenage trio Nick Kyrgios, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Jordan Thompson in his Davis Cup team to face France in the World Group first round.

With Bernard Tomic out with a hip injury, Rafter is banking on youth to complement the experience of long-time spearhead Lleyton Hewitt and doubles player Chris Guccione.

Kyrgios, 18, and Kokkinakis, 17, both reached the second round of the Australian Open last week, while 19-year-old Thompson won the wildcard playoff to qualify for the Melbourne Park major and will travel with the squad as the back-up player.

The Australians will be massive underdogs against a formidable French line-up headed by world No.9 Richard Gasquet and the 10th-ranked Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

The tie will be played indoors on clay in La Roche-sur-Yon in western France from January 31 to February 2.

The tie is Australia’s first back in the elite 16-nation World Group since 2007.