Snooker needs to move out of UK for Asians: Advani

New Delhi: Back in India after a challenging snooker season, India`s poster boy of cue sports Pankaj Advani feels the game has to move out of the United Kingdom for Asian players to thrive and compete on a level playing field.

"I think the sport needs to move out of the UK. I have been very very vocal about it. I still stand by it, although I know that the players from UK are class apart and that also has to do with the fact that the sport is played in their land," he said. Advani, who has won eight world titles, five Asian titles, two Asian Games gold medals and 24 national titles, argued that all professional events, even if it is a China ranking event, all qualifying matches take place in the UK. "Even if it`s the Indian Open then the qualifying rounds will be played in UK. So there is a clear cut advantage for the local players. This is not the case with other sports where a qualifying round of an event takes place in the host nation," Advani said. "I am not taking anything away from them. I think they are fantastic players. They obviously have proved that over a period of time. It`s just that it is very very difficult for outsiders to make a mark," the 28-year-old said. Noting that among the Asian players only three stand out namely James Wattana, Marko Fu and Ding Junhui, Advani asserted that when the game is truly played internationally and the UK players have to travel as much as everybody, then it will be a more "level playing field". Advani said for cue sports to gain popularity the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI) should focus on TV coverage. "I think the only thing they (BSFI) need to focus on is television coverage. I have obviously spoken to the president of the BSFI and that seems to be the only area that needs to be explored and the focus should be on that right now," Advani said. "It is entirely up to them as to how they want to make it more popular. But I think television coverage is the way to go," he said. The ace cueist suggested that India`s top players could be used to spread the game in different parts of the country. He noted that big events had been organised where we have the top players coming to India to play against the finest Indian players. Another way of spreading the game, he said, was by educating the public about the rules of the sport. Asked about his current preference for snooker over billiards, Advani said, "I have given snooker a proper two years now, with complete satisfaction. I have gone to the UK and spent two years of my life honing my snooker skills." "Yes, in professional snooker it`s very unpredictable. At times you win matches and you are on a roll, and then you go through a rough patch. I am glad that I`ve been able to improve my snooker game in a lot of areas which need attention and I thought that going to England was the only way I could achieve that," he said. The 2013-14 season may not have been great by Pankaj Advani`s standards but the Bangalore cueist maintains that his career is moving in the right direction with his current ranking improving to under-64. "The irony is that in my first season I achieved better results. I made it to the quarters and semis of a couple of events. This time I have managed one quarters. But in terms of my ranking this season has been better. I know that first couple of seasons or two-three seasons is just about learning to deal with the grind and how to improve tactically and gain experience," said Advani. Spotted by Indian cue sport veteran Arvind Savur at a tender age of 10, Advani went on to win his first junior title at 12 and soon became a billiards star by the age of 18. The 27-year-old says that players like Sourav Kothari - national billiards champion - have a lot of promise. "Sourav has definitely matured as a player. A lot was expected of him. May be the pressure of winning a title was always there. But now that the monkey is off his back, Sourav will definitely be a very dangerous player after he won the billiards title," opined Advani. In a country where cricketers are treated like demi-Gods, Advani has managed to hold his own as a cue sport star. The constant comparison with cricket stars does not bother the Pune-born player. "To be honest I don`t really care. I just go about doing my job. What X or Y gets or what the cricketers get doesn`t bother me. I am a professional sportsperson. I have got to concentrate on my game and choose to keep it that way. What money or coverage they are getting or whether you are better than another cueists is not worth thinking. You just want to be the best you can. And strive to be the best player I possibly can be," said Advani. One of the most eligible bachelors in Indian sports, Advani dispels any marriage plans in the near future stating his game takes centrestage for the next two to three years before cupid strikes. "I have been barely been able to spend time with myself especially after the snooker stint in England. So may be in the next 2-3 years I will tie the knot. It`s not a time frame that I have set for myself. I guess love just happens," chuckled Advani.