Interview | Winning is a habit: How India's top cueist Pankaj Advani breathes fearlessness into his game

Cueist Pankaj Advani started 2023 winning tournaments in Doha and Mumbai, and most recently in Iran, leading Team India to victories at the Asian Team Snooker Championships. The Arjuna Awardee who has his sights on another world title is on song. The teetotaller, vegetarian and chaioholic speaks about inculcating a winning mentality. With 25 world titles under his prolific belt, Pankaj now wants to bring back spontaneity and a no-fear attitude into the game from his younger days. His brother Shree Advani, a mind coach, continues to imbue mindfulness in his life, as the 37-year-old eyes more silverware. An IPL-like exclusive billiard/snooker league, with a focus on televising matches, he feels will give snooker and billiards an impetus to evolve. Excerpts from the interview… Winning is a habit “The 23-time grand slam champion Djokovic said that the will to prepare should always be more than the will to win. His discipline, hunger and wins over two decades are what I admire the most. The fact that he is 36, and his opponents are almost half his age, and yet he is so fresh is unbelievable,” says Pankaj Advani who believes that a winning mentality exists in each of us, “it’s just how you are able to bring that out and channelise that hunger into medal-winning performances.” Advani’s process is simple, “One shot at a time, one frame, one match at a time. I love playing on the big stage, and getting there requires small, consistent and disciplined effort. From strength training, spending hours bending over a long table requires training, practice, and I have recently started meditation as a spiritual path.” Meditation has a calming effect, and helps him think clearly, take decisions, respond mindfully and nonreactive – “it has added quality, and empathy. It has helped me develop an attitude of gratitude,” says the snooker champion. From strenuous and focused practice sessions to technical prowess, Advani has a word of advice to amateurs, “Every sport has its fair share of technical aspects and difficulties, yet if you get too involved in trying to master technique, and not play with feel and freedom, then you will get into a rut. Sport is meant to be played with instinct, passion, it’s an emotion.” “I would love to bring back the youthful fearlessness back” We’ve seen young sports stars mature over the year, and so has Pankaj. He now wants to revisit the fearlessness of his early days. “As a youngster, there was a no-fear risk-taking attitude. I need to bring that back to my game. I’d like to go out there and play freely. Sometimes you need to go all in, and to also recognise moments to strike. I’d like to bring back that fearlessness into my mature game,” he adds. The legacy of cue sports has to be celebrated, and given its due Cue sports and India have had a rich legacy. Pankaj says, “From Sir Wilson Jones who gave India its first world title in 1958, we have had champions who have changed the way the game is played – Michael Ferreira, Geet Sethi. Now, Sri Krishna, Ishpreet, Lakshman Rawat, have the talent to take this legacy forward for the next 25-30 years. Many feel, ek dandi ko le ke ek ball ko pocket ke andar marna hai - it’s lazy and basic. The effort and training are a combination of stability, strength and flexibility. Ideally a premier league kind of format with six to eight teams will help the game evolve. The game also needs to be televised.” While he is thrilled at India’s rise in varied sports, he stresses, “It is time we acknowledged and celebrated our achievers across disciplines. Maybe, each state could adopt a sport, to enrich and work at the grassroots.” “Shree helps me in the mental aspect of the game” His brother Shree Advani, a sports psychologist, has been silently imbuing him with the tools to overcome the mind in tough situations. And it shows when he bends over the table, in the zone, focused, and serene. “Shree helps me immensely in the mental aspects – we discuss how I need to approach a game, what I did right or wrong, my body language, or even if I am trying to play a point too precisely. Often, you need creativity to flow. Playing billiards is a creative expression, and what I know. On the table nothing else exists. Shree helps me with training, technically. Every big match on the big stage, you have to reset yourself, after every shot, you have to reset. One attaches so much meaning to playing for a world championship title. The trick is to keep those thoughts aside, and enjoy the game. Don’t dilute the focus. Enjoying yourself, concentrating on the present, dealing with pressure, anxiety, reprogramming your mind to bring out the best in you. Shree has done this not just with me, but with many athletes.” “I ate pizza for seven days and went on to win the World championship!” Sports and travel are synonymous for Advani though his vegetarianism does make it tough sometimes. “The two most difficult countries for a vegetarian were China and Iran – I travelled to both this year. In Iran, we ordered delivery which was tedious. Travelling as a vegetarian is tough. For instance, in Malaysia and Malta early in my career, I was forced to live on pizza for seven days in a row, I couldn’t find a single veg dish. I ended up winning the World Championship there, it was crazy,” Advani says. Meditation and spirituality A spiritual path has endowed the cue champion with immense calm. Now, Advani has added meditation this year, chanting mantras. “One is able to think clearly, take decisions, respond mindfully and not react – it has added quality, and empathy. It has helped me develop an attitude of gratitude,” says Pankaj who feels that his spirituality is deeply personal. “A travelling couple, but work comes first” Advani and his wife Saniya, a make-up artist, juggle work, travelling, and while they look forward to holidays, they have barely travelled since they got married in 2021 due to Covid. “Saniya travels a lot, as do I. So, it is difficult for both of us. We respect that work is a priority, and we support each other, bring out the best in each other,” he adds. Holidays are important to rekindle the romance, but the last was two years ago to Udaipur on Advani’s birthday (July 24), and Singapore in 2022. “Marina Bay Sands has special memories - the Infinity Pool at the roof top is breathtaking, offering a magnificent view of Singapore. Night life at Clark Quay was amazing, and our quick trip to Sentosa Island was memorable. Orchard Street was Saniya’s favourite as it is a shoppers’ hub. My wife on holiday loves her shopping! (laughs)!” says the hubby. For his birthday this year, it was to the US, Caribbean’s St Martin Island, and Las Vegas. “Earlier, I would be the one to go out, explore, now after Covid, I want to spend time with family. I indulge in a bit of water sports as Saniya loves diving, and has certificates from the Maldives and Caribbean. Me, I don’t understand diving, and am a bit scared, what if a shark appears?” giggles Advani. The writer is a senior journalist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost_’s views._ Read all the  Latest News **,**  Trending News **,**  Cricket News **,**  Bollywood News **,**  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook **,**  Twitter  and  Instagram **.**