The cueist’s clue

He’s just twenty-something. He’s also a world champ. There aren’t many who won’t bet their money on him when he leans over the green baize. Pankaj Advani, one of India’s few individual sports success stories, on how we can master that winning edge

 

He is one of the few ‘other than cricketers’ sporting success stories of India. The world first noticed him in 2003, when he won his first world championship title, the IBSF World Snooker Championship in China. And now, he’s become the champion, having, at 23, already won five world and two Asian billiards titles besides an Asian Games gold. So, what sort of an attitude does it take to be a world beater? “I maintain my cool, always. I am also determined and well focused,” says Advani. Do Indian sportspersons in general have that sort of attitude? “Each person has his own way of reacting to things,” he shrugs.

He’s played in enough tournaments abroad to be able to have a ‘world view’ of sorts when it comes to Indian sporting representation on a global level. So, does he agree that of late, Indians have been doing well globally in sports besides cricket? “Yes, people have now become aware and more interested in other sports as well. But this is only because they want to venture into something other than the usual – cricket, football and tennis,” opines Advani. But many of these sports – shooting, billiards, chess, badminton, boxing – are individual sports, in the sense that the sportsperson doesn’t compete as part of a team. Does he think such individual sports are consistently showing better results in the country than cricket, which gets more hype and publicity? “Football, cricket and tennis are more popular simply because they are very well packaged and marketed. Instead of whining about being neglected, we should learn from them. My big wins might hopefully increase the corporate funding for the game, but its achievement scores over popularity in sports,” says he, adding, “We have emerged as a far more stronger country when it comes to individual sports because of proper coaching and the dedication that the youngsters are showing these days. For me, it was because of my brother, Shree, who’s my motivator, my attitude coach. He understands the nuances of the game inside out.”

Ask Advani this next question and he comes up with a clue as to how we can turn
the situation to our advantage. Has cricket and IPL contributed to a change in perception with regards to Indian sportspersons? “Like I said before, IPL is more popular. It is so because the organisers wanted it so, and to that effect, they packaged it, and then put their marketing team on the job. And this mantra of marketing is something all of us, from other sporting fields, could do well to learn. If we take the IPL as an example, realise that each and every sport, when presented well has takers and can change the world’s attitude towards us, and then work towards that end, then we will see results. Players, state associations and federations should all get together to take their respective sport forward.”

That’s well said, but what does he think is needed to help Indian sportspersons do as well in all sports? What areas are our kamzor kadis, so to speak, that are holding us back? “In billiards, we have many talented youngsters like the Bhushan brothers from Bangalore, Shravan Mohta and Shahbaz Khan. With proper coaching and dedication, they can beat anyone. So, if we move ahead with the right spirit and dedication, I don’t think anything or anyone can stop us. And the state federations need to be a little more proactive. I get many letters from youngsters asking where they can play and who will coach them. They are interested, but don’t know where or how to begin.”

But Advani did, and what a beginning – he’s never looked back since! Do all these achievements in such a short span make his chest swell with pride? “Well, it does give me immense pride, it’s my accomplishment after all. But more than anything, I love the feeling of an Indian beating the rest of the world!”

 

 

 

(Source: The Times Of India)