Being in Calcutta, you cannot mess with two Souravs… Ganguly and Kothari,” laughs 12-time snooker and billiards world champion Pankaj Advani. The Pune boy is in town for the National Billiards and Snooker Championships being held at The Bengal Rowing Club. Sourav Kothari, last National’s billiards champ, and Pankaj took time out for an adda with t2 on a Wednesday afternoon. Days later, Pankaj went on to win his seventh billiards national title and his ‘National title number 25”. 

Pankaj, you are back in Calcutta after how long? 

Pankaj: I was here for two days end of 2013, but the last time I came for a proper tournament was, I guess, when we had the National Championship in 1997. So, long back… 

Sourav, have you updated Pankaj on the things-to-do in Calcutta? 

Sourav: You know honestly when we play tournaments it’s very tight. An event like this is really important. A whole year of your career depends on this tournament. Generally, we are not going out so much. And obviously partying and all that is out of question while the tournament is on. So, the odd eating out and going out with friends or something… 
Pankaj: But I have always heard of Tantra (The Park)....

Has the scenario in Calcutta changed since you were last here?

Sourav: I think he has seen a part of that change through the sports perspective. 
Pankaj: Yeah, there is a very keen interest in cue sports in Calcutta and the awareness is also there. And now that Sourav and Brijesh (Damani) have started achieving a lot internationally… obviously there was Manojdada (Manoj Kothari, Sourav’s dad, a former world billiards champion) as we fondly call him. It’s been there throughout. They’ve had some great players. I think the cue sport culture is coming back again after a long time. You have so many good players. You have people who are interested to organise tournaments to promote the game. 

Which Indian city is most interested in cue sports?

Sourav: I would think it is definitely Bangalore because it has a tradition and heritage of cue sports. It houses the only academy/association in the country, which has its own building in the heart of the city with a full-fledged cue sports hall running coaching programmes. Calcutta is picking up in a big way in terms of organising tournaments and participation interest but we still lack infrastructure. There is not one single place where all the top players can practise. Becoming a member of an elite club is tough. There are a lot of players who suffer in the bargain. 

What needs to be done to encourage cue sports?

Pankaj: I think the state associations will have to be very proactive in not only hosting tournaments of this magnitude but also in creating those facilities and infrastructure so that it becomes accessible to everyone who wants to take it up seriously. So, for example, the Karnataka State Billiards Association has 11 tables… five tables are meant for players who are already established, two-three tables are meant for those who are getting their basics in place, in-house coaches who can help… so, an academy kind of set-up. Serious stuff yet you are enjoying the game because you are interacting with the top players and you are in each other’s company and that itself is a very positive influence. 

Sourav, you’ve known Pankaj for years. Take us into his mind… 

Sourav: For any champion like him, what sets you apart from the herd is a strong mind. So, I think he has a solid mind when he plays and that’s the most imperative thing. When you play a top-level sport, any sport, beyond a certain point, of course all of us have talent… 
Pankaj: All of us know how to play the game… 
Sourav: Pankaj has a very solid mind and I think it is something to really learn from. 

Pankaj, what’s the secret to your mental strength?

Pankaj: My brother (Shree) is a sports psychologist. So, he’s helped me a lot. I talk to him often, when I feel like. Not technical, but mentally, the approach with which I go into a game… the kind of mindset I should have before a game or even during a game, it’s very important. These are things I talk to him about. Over the years you learn how to handle yourself. You learn that you are human and that it’s okay to lose. When we play, we all think that we want the best possible result, but that’s not always going to happen. So, there are a lot of lessons that sport teaches you and as you grow in your sport and also personally, as human beings, you are not only learning about sport, but about life in general. That’s why it’s such a wonderful journey. 

What is the ideal state of mind going into a match or during a match?

Sourav: Taking a cue from what Pankaj said, 2014 was a fantastic year for me… I won the nationals (billiards) and Asian (Asian Billiards Championship) titles… I realised I wasn’t doing anything different. I was not practising more or less, but there was a certain change in the mental framework and that is the fear of losing. For the longest time I have heard people say that, ‘He should be a world champion by now!’ And, it is on you whether you let that affect you when you are playing. Of course we all care about winning and losing, but we take it a little too seriously. I was doing that! The key is to go and enjoy the game… the journey instead of the result.

Pankaj: Sourav has blossomed into a mature and confident cueist, especially in the last one-and-half years, with the results going in his favour. It only indicates that he has grown from strength to strength. And he is enjoying his game more. He is playing more fluently.... In that sense, he has come of age and he belongs to the top bracket of cueists in India. 

Sourav Kothari and Pankaj Advani on the “hanging bridge” in Rabindra Sarobar. Pictures: B. Halder 

Pankaj what do you tell yourself when you are at the world championship table?

Pankaj: When you go on to the table, at least for me, I am transported into a different world. And, I look forward to that. You are in a completely different zone, different frame of mind. All you think of is, ‘I am going to pot this ball now; I am going to position my ball here’. I am concentrating on the process and I am continuously trying to find ways to make that easier. We are all still improving as players. I think our best is yet to come. Take the achievements aside and you look at the ability, I still feel that the younger lot… of course we are right in between… they are improving hell of a lot. So, in order to keep our heads above, we have to continuously improve. 

Do you block out the audience when you are playing?

Sourav: As an athlete you thrive on crowd support. For me, if I am playing and it is a packed gallery, it’s going to give you a sense of… 
Pankaj: Pride…
Sourav: I think it helps my game. 
Pankaj: There were instances where I felt that it’s better if the crowd is not there. When you know that so many people are rooting for you and the pressure is there and they expect so much out of you… At the same time, if you are playing a big match, you want that energy and atmosphere, so that it brings out the best in you. 

What does match preparation include, besides practice?

Pankaj: Billiards and snooker require concentration. Some people practise meditation, yoga and breathing. Some people just like to sleep early and get up early or some  just like to practise a lot. 
Sourav: I have realised that often what lets you down is your temper. Controlling your temper goes a long way in making you a better human being. You miss a shot and how do you react… you tell yourself, ‘I am human and I am going to get another chance’. That will only happen if you are practising it in real life. So, match preparation includes being tolerant. Just before a match, I always take a shower. You are programming your mind and I visualise that I am playing well, getting my shots.That helps.

Pankaj: And, also being silent. I have noticed with all top players that they are all silent. You don’t want unnecessary chatter and scatter your energy. You rather want that energy to be within you and in harmony... 

Sourav: You will also find a lot of players having a ball before a match, laughing it out… 
Pankaj: Don’t ask how! (Laughs)

How do you unwind after a match?

Pankaj: Watch TV… 
Sourav: Go back to the room, put two pillows beneath your head and... 
Pankaj: Listen to music, watch a movie… depends on my mood.
Sourav: A cup of tea is a pretty regular thing. You also do a little bit of introspection about the game. 
Pankaj: We call it post-mortem. Obviously, there is discussion and analysis. It goes on for about 10-15 minutes… sometimes with Manojdada, the national coach, maybe we will discuss certain shots…
Sourav: There are some people who go on and on… 
Pankaj: Some players use the side table and TV screens to explain… 
Sourav: There are some who while driving explain it on the windscreen! (Pankaj laughs)

How much of cue sports do you watch?

Sourav: I watch single frames… 15-minute frames… if someone has made a big break. I don’t watch full matches….
Pankaj: Yeah… unless we are a part of that tournament. 
Sourav: Of course we love to watch our favourite players… 

What other sport do you follow, like may be watching a Roger Federer match?
Pankaj: Which I do! I am a huge Roger Federer fan! It’s mainly tennis for me and mainly Federer. 

What do you love about Federer?

Pankaj: Oh! I could go on and on! This could be his last season…
Sourav: That’s why I think he is going around and doing all these promos and having a ball of a time! You didn’t see him doing all this when he was at his peak. 
Pankaj: But that’s the best part. He interacts with his fans and mingles with them. He is so good at that besides being a great player, probably the greatest ever. He has that personal touch… he tweets, on Facebook… he is everywhere. It is so difficult for a person with his kind of schedule to do all of that and yet maintain his personal life and then come back and win tournaments like it is a walk in the park. He is the most complete champion I have seen. That’s what I admire. He’s got grace, poise, style, elegance, class and humility. 
Sourav: For me also it is tennis and Federer. Watching him play is sublime. And, Novak Djokovic as well. I remember once he was match-point down against Federer and he just asked the crowd to cheer him up. 
Pankaj: I thought that was a tactic, by the way. 

Have you played any other sport? 

Pankaj: I have played a little bit of cricket, table tennis, badminton and after becoming a Federer fan, I’ve had a go at tennis too. That was about a couple of years back. 

Which sporting victories have stayed with you?

Sourav: The Federer-Nadal marathon final (Wimbledon, 2008). Federer had tears in his eyes and Nadal jumped into the stands (after winning). Those moments stay with you. It makes you feel that we are not going to be winning all our lives. There will be someone else… 

Pankaj: Someone better, more efficient, better versions of us or better than anyone could ever imagine. I thought the football World Cup (2014) was fascinating. Also, because Germany won! I am a huge Germany fan. The 7-1 win (vs Brazil in the semi-final) was fantastic. You could see the look on Manuel Neuer’s (German goalkeeper) face when he let in that one goal. That showed how professional the German side was. That’s the kind of approach you need in sports. You need to be disciplined, methodical and at the same time, there is no harm in saying this, you need to be ruthless. Of course, you should know where to draw the line and I know that a lot happened in the India-Australia (Test) series where the line was crossed. 

So, Virat Kohli or M.S. Dhoni?

Pankaj: Dhoni, by far! In my mind, if there is any one person in Indian cricket I respect, who I feel has really played for the team and has led by example and has been a gentleman on and off the field, it is Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Class apart. Cannot be compared with anyone who I have ever seen. When you talk about psychology in sports, Dhoni never gets into altercations with players from the opposite camp. You cannot read him or what’s going on in his mind, but he is doing his job, his eyes are open….

What Pankaj asked Sourav!
 

Pankaj to Sourav: Is marriage worth it? Should I have that Delhi ka laddoo or not? Look at his record… he has won two of his biggest titles after he got married… so I was thinking....
Sourav: What are you going to win? Get the game to the Olympic and win a medal?! 
Pankaj: Maybe I’ll get the Padma award without asking for it! (Laughs out loud)