Right on the cue
What makes Pankaj Advani one of Indian sport's special talents.
If you browse through Pankaj Advani’s Wikipedia page, the list of achievements is bound to stagger you. Several titles — including seven world championships — over the last few years tell you that Advani has been one of the most consistent performers in Indian sport. Sometimes, it’s hard to believe that he is all of 24 years of age. Advani has been in the limelight ever since he burst on the scene and had been earmarked a special talent. His first coach Arvind Savur recalls, “He was supremely talented and one could see that he was destined for greater things.”
It’s not easy for any cueist to come in and make a name for themselves, especially when India has produced great players like Geet Sethi and Michael Ferriera amongst others. “When I started out it was just for the love of the game and I wanted to compete at the highest level,” says the 24-year old who beat Mike Russell, one of the legends of the sport, to win his first professional world title. “Beating Mike made the victory sweeter as he is considered one of the best in the sport,” he says. Russell was going for his 10th title but ran into Advani who many consider is in his best form at the moment.
He gets a bit irritated when people think that billiards is a game which is beyond the common man’s reach. “It’s a misconception,” he says. He says that it’s a great feeling to carry on the tradition of India producing world champions in cue sports. But he feels that to take the game to the masses, talent needs to be recognised early. Something which happened in his case. At 11, he picked the cue and his passion for the game since then has grown. Of course, the coaches saw the potential and nurtured his ability. “The competitive spirit is something which eggs me on to do better each time I am playing,” he says. Early in his career, he had laid down the marker for himself by winning almost everything at canter at the junior level. As he slowly started grabbing eyeballs, there was more pressure but Advani says that it’s just a part of any sports person’s life and he is no different. Beating the likes of Geet Sethi — for whom he has tremendous respect and admiration — was a morale booster. Growing up, the likes of Sethi was an inspiration for him and he hopes that youngsters will be inspired seeing him do well in the sport. Giving advice to budding cueists, he says that passion for the game has to be the first thing and then you must enjoy the sport.
Before heading off to Leeds for the World Professional Billiards Championship, Advani says that he never looked at the tournament which was missing from his kitty. “I always go out there to enjoy myself and give my best and this was no different,” he says.
He has been lauded by everyone — including the Prime Minister and the President — on his incredible feat. In the past, recognition has eluded sportsmen from other fields but Advani says that is changing now. The boxers are now known names and so is Saina Nehwal, he says. “It’s good to get recognition but what’s better is to win titles,” he adds.
With seven world titles under his belt, he treasures each one of them and doesn’t have any personal favourite. All are special, he says. At 24, he has won almost everything there is to be won. He has age on his side and there is no doubt that he will improve in the future. Savur, his coach, is confident that he can rewrite the history books of cue sports. “With the kind of talent and determination that he has, the sky is the limit,” he says. But Advani says that he takes each tournament as it comes. He feels that however well you might play, one tiny error can ruin the entire tournament for you. “The most important thing is to concentrate hard,” he says.
He doesn’t set any targets as it’s something he has never done, he says. “Playing for my country has always been a matter of immense pride for me and hopefully I will continue to perform to the best of my ability.” Spoken like the true champion he is with no airs about what he has achieved so far in the sport.