Latest news with #Sourav
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First Post
13-05-2025
- Sport
- First Post
'My father and I are inseparable, but he will never put me on a pedestal': billiards world champion Sourav Kothari
In the second part of an exclusive conversation, Sourav – who recently won the IBSF World Billiards Championship – opens up on his relationship with his father and coach Manoj, a former world champion himself, and how he has changed as a person over the years. read more 'He wears his/her heart on his/her sleeve.' This is an idiom that we have all heard or read, being used, countless times for athletes – from different sporting disciplines. But honestly, it's not very often that one comes across an international level athlete, that too a World Champion, who openly displays his/her emotions. A truly no-holds barred approach to baring one's heart and soul. It's not surprising really that there aren't too many athletes out there who are willing to do this. After all, truly sharing one's deepest, mostly well-hidden emotions and feeling makes one vulnerable. Most of us aren't really comfortable doing that, let alone an athlete who has to compete on the biggest world stages, where the competition is cut-throat to say the least, and where there is no space for vulnerability or weakness. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Which is why I find my conversations with Sourav Kothari to be quite special. As a journalist, one is always searching for the truth – and access to the truth that exists at the heart of an athlete is a sports journalist's dream come true. The chance to go beyond the razzmatazz, beyond the headlines, beyond the big title win – a chance to scratch the surface and explore what lies beneath. In an exclusive and comprehensive interaction, Sourav – who recently won the IBSF World Billiards Championship – took me behind the scenes, as it were, to give me a look at what lies behind the world champion. A look mostly at the son and his relationship with his father. Sourav's father, Manoj Kothari is one of India's most legendary billiards players and a World Billiards champion himself (won the title in 1990 in Bangalore). He is also Sourav's coach. 'He will never put me on a pedestal and has instilled in me the importance of training,' says Sourav on about his father, who he has grown up idolising. In other words, this is also a thank you note from Sourav to his father – who has moulded his game in every which way, every step of the way. This is also a look at how Sourav has changed as a person over the last few years, how the realisation has dawned that we are not living in a utopian world and that one must fend for oneself here, most of the time. How he is picking and choosing his personal battles – the big and small things that annoy, irritate or get under the skin of the best of us – and how that has made him a calmer individual, helping him focus better on his game. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This is a journey into the mind of an athlete, who does indeed wear his heart on his sleeve and one who also happens to be an Indian Billiards World Champion. This is part 2 of an exclusive interview with Sourav Kothari. Firstpost: Sourav, every athlete evolves or matures with age – in different ways – we see maturity seeping into their game, into their temperament, etc. How has Sourav Kothari changed, evolved or matured with age? Sourav Kothari: I find myself to be a different person in the last three-four years, because I am picking the battles that I want to be involved in very wisely. I find that I have become a different person – in the last three-four years. I try not to get entangled in things that I feel are absolutely worthless. Earlier, I think I could be quite aggressive when someone said something I didn't like. I used to be like – 'I want to settle a score with this person, how can he say something like this? etc'. Now, over the last few years, I have realised that it's not a utopian world that we are living in. It's actually a world where you have to fend for yourself and nobody is looking out for you. I have realised that there will be naysayers, people who try to bring you down. Not just in my field, in any field. There will be people who will try to bring you down, if you are going up – it happens in corporate life, happens everywhere. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Billiards world champion Sourav Kothari reveals how having an 'extremely blank slate' for a mind has helped him in his game The point is that if you stop and react to everyone and everything that barks at you, then how are you ever going to move ahead? At the same time, if there's something that is robbing my peace of mind and I need to stand up for myself, I will fight for it. But I am not doing it as often as I was earlier. There are a lot of people who come and say a lot of things to me. But my father's teachings, my own life lessons have taught me that I don't need to give that kind of importance to every negative thing that comes my way. How much of it can you do? You will end up exhausting yourself. If you win a world title, there will be 200 people who will be extremely happy, but there will also be 40 people who will say things behind your back, about you. But till there is something that is really, really wrong and I need to stand up for myself, I don't react. I choose my battles wisely. And I feel that that has impacted my game, because I feel calmer. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I feel that there is less nonsense in my head that I have to deal with. Now, when I go to a tournament I am not thinking – 'I have to do this and that, settle a score with him and him etc.' No, my mind now is an extremely blank slate. That has really helped me. There have been players in the past with whom I have had my differences – ideological differences or antagonism over some statement they have given to the press, and I have read that and I have been fuming and furious. But those things don't bother me so much nowadays. There can be small things in our everyday lives that can put us off, but I try to stay afloat, above them. FP: Going back to your big world title win now - another very important facet of this win is that with this you emulated your father and coach, Mr. Manoj Kothari – who won this prestigious title in 1990 in Bengaluru. The only father and son duo, in any sport, to be world champions in the modern era. That must have been emotional… STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD SK: Absolutely. Not just in sport, in any profession, there are instances where the father or mother has done exceptionally well. So, there's of course a lot of expectations from the progeny and I have faced it myself. A lot of people crumble under that kind of pressure. There are many examples of progeny going into fields which their parents – father or mother – have been illustrious members of – and honestly, it's difficult to emulate that success. It boils down to expectations and constant comparisons. To navigate that and navigate the negativity, while realising your potential and talent – I think that is incredible. I feel proud that I could do that. Another very important thing that helped me do that is the fact that I am not put on a pedestal in my house. I already have a world champion in my house who has seen the pinnacle of sport. If I was born into say a business family or a service family, then being a national champion, a world champion, an Arjuna awardee, would probably make me a sort of demigod in the house. In my house – there is nothing like that. That has ensured that no success of mine has ever gone to my head. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD FP: So, tell me, would it be fair to say that you grew up idolising your father? SK: Definitely. 100 per cent. There's one lesson that my father taught me – that I want to share with you today. About 10-12 years ago, I won a tournament. I had beaten Yasin Merchant (three-time Asian Games medallist and the second Indian after the late Omprakesh Agrawal to become a professional snooker player), a celebrated snooker player at the Bombay Gymkhana Open (in the final)– which is a very prestigious tournament – it had the highest prize money across all tournaments at that time, etc. I was a very young man then and I beat the top players in that tournament. I came back home and I was just jubilant. My father was also very happy. But I remember - I came back home in the late afternoon, at night we all sat together and celebrated a little. The next day, I didn't go for practice. I didn't want to play for the next week, 10 days, because I wanted to just rest on my laurels. My father didn't say anything that day. Then the next day, he saw me loitering around in the house and he asked me – 'what about your practice?' I said – 'what are you saying? I just won a tournament. I am not going to practice. I just want to chill and go out etc.' He said, 'Excuse me. Pick up your cue and I want to see you at the practice table today.' I told him – 'I don't have anything left in me right now to play'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But Akaash, you will not believe it – I had to be at the practice table. That's when I realised that we are all running against a clock. The way I am being able to play now, I will not be able to play like that after five years. Now, I am the kind of player – if I don't practice for 5 days, I will probably lose to you also. My game goes down sharply. I rely a lot on hard work and constant practice. If I take a break for a week or so, when I come back, I am absolutely clueless on the table – for at least two-three days. That's when I understood what the importance of training is. It's how you train – that makes the biggest difference. That is the most important thing. What you end up doing on the match table is actually a reflection of how you train. Sourav Kothari reiterated the importance of focus and discipline, revealing how he doesn't waste time scrolling on his mobile phone and using it only when necessary Even now, I see some top players – in practice – the moment they miss a shot, they go and sit down and they are on their mobile phones. Then the moment their opponent misses, they will keep their phone aside and start playing. Now, tell me – can you do that in a match? You can't, right? Because in a match you are not allowed to use your phone. So, what you are basically ending up doing is – you are getting yourself accustomed to a system, where if you are not at the table, you want a distraction. So, subconsciously, you are not programmed to sit and watch your opponent play for 10 minutes – something you have to do in a match. Even now, I will not be on my phone, browsing, unless it's very, very important, because I know that I am not going to be doing this in a match. These are the small things that you do in training that impact how you perform in a match. And it's my father who instilled that in me. The importance of training. Even if you are putting in two hours every day, those two hours can actually be worth eight hours, if you are utilising those two hours properly. FP: This actually reminds me - I was reading somewhere – your father gave a quote that his day is incomplete without a few frames – what are days or evenings like when you are both home and play a few frames – I am wondering what kind of conversation one might get to hear if one is a fly on the wall at one such session… SK: We don't play practice matches against each other. But twice or thrice a week I go with him to the Calcutta Club, where I totally submit myself to him – for him to train me. And the rest of the days, I train on my own. My father can be a very critical coach. And he is more of a coach than a parent. If he were sitting right next to me, and he heard me say something to you which doesn't go down well with him, or if I speak to you in a tone that he doesn't approve of, he will say something about it. He is still a parent who will try to educate his children. Not in a critical way, he will not put me down, but he will point out things which he thinks I need to improve upon. So, sitting at home, if there's a conversation that we are having about the sport – most of the things he will say will be things he thinks I can improve upon. We don't talk too much about the things that I have done well. FP: I had a lovely chat with your father some time back. Tell me a little more about your father, the coach – and the things he insists you must and must not do… SK: We have differences of opinion about whether I should practice billiards or snooker, before going for a billiards match. I personally like to practice a bit of snooker as well, as part of my training for billiards, because potting is a very, very important part of billiards, but his opinion is different. Before this World Championship, he told me – 'I don't want to even see you at the table when there are 22 snooker balls on the table. You should only and only play billiards. It should be a part of your system.' I tell him that I need to play some snooker. So, we discuss all these things. But apart from that, we watch a lot of movies together and we are, as you can imagine – very, very close to each other. We are inseparable, in many ways. I can share anything and everything with him. But he is someone who will never put me on a pedestal. FP: So, what's next for Sourav Kothari? SK: The World Games in Chengdu, China (7-17 August). That's a very, very important tournament. Only Kamal Chawla – the IBSF World 6-Red (snooker) champion and I are the ones who have got entry – nobody else from India. In the World Games, you will see the likes of Mark Selby (English professional snooker player), Ronnie O'Sullivan (English professional snooker player and seven-time World Champion), who are allowed to play that tournament. It's purely on the basis of your international performance that you get to play there and (this time) – there are only two entries from India. Sourav Kothari will be one of only two Indians in action at the World Games that will be taking place in Chengdu, China in August later this year Then there will be the WBL professional Championship in Landywood (snooker club in Great Wyrley, Walsall) England later on in the year (11-16 October) – a title I won in 2018. Then the IBSF World snooker Championship in Doha in November (the men's championship will be held in two stages: stage 1 from 3-6 November and stage 2 from 8-12 November). Then there's so much happening in India, as well – you have to pick and choose.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Wins & losses don't define me any more, says Sourav Kothari
Sourav Kothari clinched the 2025 IBSF World Billiards title in Ireland, beating in the final. This timed-format win comes 35 years after his father, Manoj Kothari, won the same title. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In a chat with CT, the Kolkata cueist reflects on his twin world titles, life's lows, and more. How did you discover your love for billiards? When my father won the World Title in 1990, it was a national sensation – Doordarshan aired the final live over two days, and hundreds gathered at the airport to welcome him home. I was just five then, too young to understand it all, but something clicked. I knew I wanted to follow in his footsteps. I wasn't allowed in the billiards rooms at that age, so I turned a passage in his bedroom into a makeshift table, used half a cue and tennis balls to mimic his shots. My mother was also the West Bengal ladies' state billiards and snooker champion – so I guess I was destined to fall in love with it. What's your mantra for staying focussed and dealing with negativity in a sport like billiards? For me, meditation and focus are lifelong practices, especially in a sport like billiards, where concentration and sharp eyesight are musts. I've realised that negative people – those uncomfortable with your success – will always be around. At one point, I used to take it personally, but over time, I've learned to pick my battles. 'Not every comment deserves my energy,' I tell myself now. A lot of this calm comes from my father, who taught me to value forgiveness over confrontation. True meditation, to me, is about mental discipline – staying focussed, rising above the noise, and being able to sleep in peace. Did 2012 mark a turning point in your journey? In 2012, after disappointing results, I was almost about to quit. I felt lost, but my father's words changed everything: 'Who gave you the right to make that decision? He reminded me that talent is a gift, and my worth can't be defined by wins or losses. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Despite wanting to walk away, I returned to practise the next day. That moment transformed my career, leading to multiple titles, including the World title win in 2018. It was my father's belief, and my mother's quiet strength, that carried me through. Sourav's father Manoj Kothari with the IBSF trophy in 1990 My parents' belief carried me through my dark times. With hard work & faith, you can turn things around : Sourav I don't have a special someone yet. But maybe a kind-hearted CT reader might fancy a coffee with me? : Sourav I love Bengali films. Jeet is one of my favourites. I admire Srabanti too for her talent and screen presence : Sourav 'It's more about the process now' Sourav says he has grown immensely between his 2018 and 2025 world titles. 'Back then, I was obsessed with winning,' he reflects, adding, 'But now, I've realised that while I may not always be at my best, it's important to keep showing up.' For him, it's no longer about the scoreboard but about the process – daily training, small improvements, and enjoying the grind. 'I now play with freedom and belief,' he adds. 'I might lose, but I'll never be defeated' Sourav believes success & failure are both part of life. 'Failure makes you value your wins. As I say, I might lose, but I'll never be defeated. I may not be the brightest in the room, but I know I'll burn longer than most. It's this perspective that takes the pressure off and keeps me grounded,' says Sourav. Sourav with his IBSF trophy 'I wore the same shirt on all days of the competition' When it comes to superstitions, Sourav's habits tend to change with each tournament. 'During back-to-back tournaments, including the IBSF World Billiards title, I wore the same white shirt every single day,' he laughs, adding, 'I wore it on day one, felt good in it, and since I wasn't sweating, I wore it again on day two.' He admits, 'I couldn't let go of it, so for all 12 days of competition, I wore the same shirt. Thankfully, it was laundered once!' Pix: Anindya Saha
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First Post
02-05-2025
- Sport
- First Post
How World Billiards Champion Sourav Kothari stunned 'beasts' like Causier and Advani in Ireland
By winning the championship in Ireland, Sourav Kothari became only the third Indian to win both the IBSF and the WBL World Billiards titles. In an exclusive history, he talks about his rivalry with Pankaj Advani and how he scripted history. read more The first time I met Sourav Kothari, quite a few years ago, I was very impressed with how down to earth he is, despite being a big name in the world of cue sports. When I spoke to him recently to talk about his incredible World Billiards Championship title in Carlow, Ireland, after he returned home to Kolkata, it was nice to know that he is still that humble gentleman I met many years ago, despite being crowned world champion again. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ask him if he played flawless billiards, especially in the semis and final of the recently concluded Championship and pat comes the reply – 'Definitely not'. That despite the fact that he had a 325 break, along with two other century breaks, against the prolific Pankaj Advani in the summit clash and led David Causier of England 600-35 at one stage in the semis. Sourav overcame the fiercely intimidating Causier in a repeat of the 2018 World Championship semis, before outplaying compatriot Pankaj Advani 725-480, to secure the title. With this win he also became just the third Indian to win both the IBSF and the WBL World Billiards titles. One look at the field in this year's Championship was a reminder of just how difficult it must have been to clinch the title. Experts feel the competition was perhaps the stiffest in many years, with all the major players in the world, like David Causier, Rob Hall, Peter Gilchrist, Peter Sheehan playing, along with ace players from India like Sourav, Pankaj, Nalin Patel and other top-ranked players from Scotland and host country, Ireland. Sourav is coached by his father, a legendary Indian cue sport athlete himself, Manoj Kothari, who won the Billiards World Championship thirty-five years ago – in 1990 in Bengaluru. As Sourav pointed out himself in an interview – 'We are the only father and son duo in any sport to be world champions in the modern era.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Needless to say, this one was an emotional title win for Sourav, who also had the highest break of the tournament – 490 vs another compatriot of his - Nalin Patel. In a freewheeling chat, Sourav opened up about multiple things, including his experience of playing the World Championship this time, what made his confidence soar, the outstanding breaks which were his biggest weapons through the tournament, his relationship with his father who is also his coach, his relationship with Pankaj Advani, how difficult it is to win both the IBSF and WBL World Billiards, professional titles and much more. This is part one of an exclusive interview with newly crowned IBSF World Billiards Champion, Sourav Kothari. First-up — the extremely cliched question – but one that has to be asked, because I am curious about how you are feeling, about a week after your win — has it sunk in? And if yes, what does that sense of accomplishment and achievement mean to you, on a very personal level? Kothari: Honestly, it hasn't sunk in. Primarily because, usually when I come back from a tournament, especially one that I have won, I like to see the videos of my performance. Sometimes at night, when I come back to my room, I like to watch these videos – just to get a sense of what I have done. I have not had a chance to do that yet. That's number one. Number two – if someone told me before the tournament that I would be beating the likes of David Causier and Pankaj Advani, the way I did, I wouldn't have believed them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I want to take you back to two of the key matches of the recently concluded tournament in Carlow – the semis and then the final. Let's go chronologically – first the semi-final. Beating David Causier, who you yourself described as 'a beast', after winning the title – Now, Causier, from what I checked, is not just a decade older than you, he is also incredibly accomplished, having won 8 world billiards titles in the long and short formats combined and a former world number 1 and also someone who can erase a significant lead within minutes. Talk to me a little bit about this experience – of playing someone like him in the semi-final of a World Championship… Kothari: You can beat a player, but someone like Causier, who is regarded as a beast…The main weapon in his (David Causier's) arsenal is the speed at which he scores. If we take 6-7 minutes for a 100 break, Causier does that in 3 minutes. So, you could have a 500-point lead against someone like him, but that lead could be erased in a matter of 15 minutes, which for any other player might take an hour. He is so lethal. The two-and-a-half hour match that I played against him in the semi-finals (of the World Billiards Championship), after an hour and 15 minutes when we took the tea break, that time the score read 600-35. That is a sight that is rarely seen in world billiards, because Causier at 35 points after an hour and 15 minutes is an anomaly. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I remember when I looked up at the scoreboard, and saw the points – Sourav Kothari - 600, David Causier – 35, I was a little baffled, wondering – 'how did I manage to do this?' Those two breaks that I made of 299 and 265, back-to-back, were incredible. I don't know how I managed to do that. There was a point where I couldn't even hear the referee call out the scores, as I was making the break. It happens sometimes – you are so involved in the game, in the stroke-making, you don't even hear a person standing right next to you, calling out the scores. Your mind, body and soul are all aligned so much to the task at hand. That one hour and 15-minute first session against Causier is all a blur to me. That tells me that I must have been in a state of mind, where I was oblivious to everything. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD World Billiards champion Sourav Kothari hails from Kolkata. Alright, now for the big one – the final – up against Pankaj – highly decorated, your compatriot, someone whose game, I assume, you know inside out – both his strengths and weaknesses — you won 725 to his 480 in the final…. Kothari: Against Pankaj in the final, a 325-point break on the second or third visit to the table. What that does is, it breaks the back of your opponent. You can make the small contributions – 50 points, 100 points, a miss, but even before you settle into the match, you are down by 500 points. The way I managed to start against both these players, in the semis and the final, honestly that hasn't sunk in yet. These things don't happen very often. Even for players like Causier, you don't really make 300-plus breaks back-to-back in the first one hour of the match. I have to watch the videos, I have to see everything again to get a sense of what I did. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD So, you are only the third Indian to win both the IBSF and WBL World Billiards, professional titles. Rupesh Shah and Pankaj are the other Indians in this very exclusive club, which also says a lot about how difficult it is to win this double – considering how many ace cueists India has produced over the years… Kothari: Yes. Going to the world professional championship and playing the likes of (Peter) Gilchrist, (David) Causier, Rob Hall, Peter Sheehan – these guys are lethal and they compete throughout the year. As we speak, they are already onto their next tournament. They play a big event every fortnight or every twenty days. We don't play so much billiards. We play more snooker, here in India, in the domestic circuit. Even internationally, we compete in many more snooker events than billiards events. So, it's incredible to have been able to have done this. You spoke a bit about the execution – both against Causier in the semi-final and against Pankaj in the final. I want to talk to you a little bit about the mental preparation, especially against Pankaj. Would it be fair to say that your superb 4-2 win against Pankaj in the final of the National Billiards & Snooker Championship in Indore in January this year was something that you were drawing strength and inspiration from before the final? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Kothari: Definitely. The win at the Nationals and also the way the win happened. I was 1-2 down and then won 4-2. When I was 3-2 up, in the 150-up game, Pankaj was at 147, needing just one stroke to force a decider and he missed a regulation pot. I remember, there were 300 people watching our game live – I have never seen such atmosphere. There were former players, fans. And when Pankaj missed the pot everybody went – 'oh'. I need 90 points at that time and I have come back and scored those 90 points under immense pressure. I draw inspiration from it. I draw strength from it. I definitely thought about this before my final against Pankaj – that I had been able to withstand such a top-class player and also managed to come back after being down to win the National title. Your question is very good. I am sure it must have been on his mind too that just two months back he had lost to me in a final. Not that it has any negative impact on someone's game, but at the back of your mind you will have the fact that you are not playing against someone who is just going to give it to you on a platter. What happens is – when you beat top players – the likes of Sheehan, Gilchrist, Causier – the name itself becomes so intimidating that it can have an effect on the next opponent. I am sure the next time I play David Causier, he will remember the way I started against him (in the semi-finals), with a 600-point lead – so that also plays a role in keeping the players on their toes. Before the world championship final, did you and Pankaj have any conversation? Kothari: All the Indian players sit together at the breakfast table. We (Pankaj and Sourav) are in the same organisation – ONGC. So, sometimes you share a meal together. There was this one restaurant about an hour and a half away from Dublin, which we really liked. The food was good and they would prepare the food the way we would instruct them. We used to have dinners together. The night before the final, we had a meal together. Honestly, we don't talk much about the game because you are playing the next day and how much do you discuss the game anyway? After the match vs Causier, I was drained emotionally. I went and told Ashok Shandilya (Indian billiards player) that I can't go to the Indian restaurant because I can't move my limbs. I was so exhausted. So, I requested them to have the food packed for me and I would have it at the hotel. But eventually I went, because the weather was so nice and I wanted some fresh air. But it's so exhausting. Pankaj and I don't have elaborate chats about our personal lives or the game, but when you are in a system – with other players, players from other countries, a manager – it's all bonhomie, honestly. Both of you are proven champions with a large fan following and all athletes are competitive, regardless of whether they are playing a compatriot or someone from another country etc. How would you describe your professional relationship with Pankaj? Kothari: We go back to 2002-2003. When I played my first National Championship, I have known him since then. We have grown up together, we have played so much against each other. I feel that when you are younger, when you are slightly more naïve, when you don't really know how professionalism works, how competitiveness works, we used to be mates and hang out and do things (together). But as you grow older and as the world around us changes also, there are so many things in our lives that we need to give attention to. There's a lot going on in everyone's lives you know. We like our own private spaces. So, it's no different with him than with any other player. Of course, you do have people on the circuit who are closer to you than other people. But basically, you want (to have) focus on the task at hand. On top of that the matches – it's not easy – the schedule, it can be quite rigorous. You could be playing a match at 10am and then one at 6pm. So, your whole day revolves around planning what you are going to do to get the best result in the match, that you are in your prime in terms of focus and concentration. It's a nice, healthy, professional relationship (with Pankaj). It's not like we are foes. Legendary Pankaj Advani has won a record 28 World Billiards titles. Image: Pankaj Advani on X We are with the same company, so we travel a lot together. Pankaj and I are probably the only two players in cue sports who are playing both the games at the highest level. So, next we are going to play the World Snooker Championship – the main rounds. We are not going to have to play the qualifiers. You have a lot of top players from across the world who have to qualify from stage one to have to come to stage two. Because I am in the top 8 of the World Championship from last year in snooker, both of us are playing the main round. There are a lot of athletes who don't look eye to eye – it's definitely not like that. We have had our differences in the past about issues, but luckily, we have come back and spoken about them. It's not like it's just been buried. Like any other profession. Nobody wants to lose their peace of mind over trivial things. So, yes, we share a healthy, professional relationship. For those who don't track cue sports regularly, can you talk to me about the rather large glasses which you wear while at the table. Are these special glasses? If yes, in what way? Kothari: These are the glasses that I wear while I am playing. When you are playing snooker, you have to bend down and you have to look upwards – to look at the ball – so you need glasses such that the rim doesn't come in the line of sight. You will see anyone who wears glasses, wearing these big glasses (while playing). However, nowadays a lot of people get the lasik surgery done. A lot of the top players in India are going and getting their power removed. It's helped them also, tremendously. As for me – my doctor has told me – 'why do you unnecessarily want to do these things?' So I continue wearing my glasses and I am comfortable with them. Let's go back to your recent big achievement and talk about what you felt were the big highlights of your game during this tournament – I was reading about how you were very proud of your breaks. You had the highest break of the tournament – 490 vs another compatriot of yours - Nalin Patel. Talk to me a little bit about again both the mental preparation and the execution, as far as these breaks were concerned… Kothari: In a nutshell – I was not the best player in terms of form, when the tournament started. There was Causier, there was Gilchrist – they were making the big breaks. I am very critical about myself, so if I have made a 500 break also and you ask me – 'how was the game?' – I will probably give you a deadpan answer – 'yeah, it was alright'. I felt like I was playing okayish. But my dad told me – 'you are playing so well. Your rhythm is good.' There are some technical things that he has changed in my game, which have really benefitted me since the National Championship. The fact that he told me that my rhythm was great and that I was looking good at the table gave me a lot of confidence, especially because it came from somebody who is a very critical coach. He (Sourav's father, Manoj Kothari - IBSF World Billiards Champion in 1990) is not a very easy-going coach. He is never happy. In fact, now after coming back also – I won the World Title and till now, I am not exaggerating – he has not discussed anything with me about the game, except the shots that I missed. I probably played like 800 good shots, but those 5-10 shots that I played wrong or didn't execute properly, that is what he is going to discuss with me. We are talking about a coach who is constantly trying to push you. So, for him to tell me – 'I like your flow, your rhythm is great, you are cueing well, what makes you think you are not playing well?' suddenly helped me to go from playing okayish in the group matches where I was not making the 900 points in one and a half hours, while some others were, to suddenly playing Nalin Patel after having spoken to dad and making a 490 break in flawless, top of the table play. That's where you score the maximum points in a billiards match – at the top of the table, where the red spot is (where the red ball is placed in English billiards). Sourav Kothari scored 725 points to Pankaj Advani's 480 in the 2025 IBSF World Billiards final. The conditions were challenging – brand new tables – it's not easy to play in the conditions we get, to be honest. The reason why some people stay at the top is because they adjust their game, instantly. When you have a brand-new cloth (on the table), the table behaves so differently than the tables on which you play in the club. Club tables are 4-5 months old. They don't have the kind of punch and spunk in the movement of the ball. These tables (at Championships) are unforgiving and suddenly I have gone and made a 490 (break). And I thought – 'wow, I am being able to control the ball beautifully. I am not coming out of top table and then with Causier – those two breaks – 300, 265 – big breaks. Then another 300-plus break with Pankaj (in the final) the moment we started. The key highlights – the 490 break against Nalin Patel which actually made me realise that I could make a 500-break in these conditions. Number 2 – the two back-to-back breaks against David Causier – that really instilled in me the faith that I could make a 300 and then a 300 again and then the third one against Pankaj. The key was the way I was starting off. If you are a sluggish starter with these players like Gilchrist, Causier, Sheehan, Pankaj – if you are a slow starter, you are gone. They will just maul you completely. So, I was doing to Causier what he has probably done to every other player in the world. And of course, my father instilling that confidence in me. These were the key highlights. Would you say, technically, emotionally and in terms of focus – you were absolutely on top of your game at this world championship – or does Sourav Kothari have another gear – every athlete of course always strives to do better than their last performance – but what's your take on this? Kothari: I am a little critical about myself, so I still feel that there is scope for improvement. I am of course very happy, but flawless? No definitely not. Honestly, I could have beaten Causier by 1000 points. I don't want to sound arrogant about it, but I know that when I was leading by 500-odd points, there were opportunities on the table that I missed and I could have capitalised on them and beaten him by 1000 points. I was 600 points up and the way I was going, I could have made a 300 break again. When you win against a top player with that margin, it stays in their mind for a long time and that helps you going forward. So, not flawless.
Indian Express
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Sourav Ganguly signs a Rs 125 crore deal for Bigg Boss Bangla with Star Jalsha, exits Zee Bangla's Dadagiri
Indian cricketer Sourav Ganguly has announced his exit as the host of the famous show Dadagiri on Zee Bangla. During a recent interview with News18 Bangla, he revealed that he will now be seen in a new role with Star Jalsha, as Sourav has reportedly signed a four-year deal worth Rs 125 crore with them. According to the report, he will soon be seen hosting Bigg Boss Bangla, along with another new quiz show on the channel. The former Indian cricket captain expressed his excitement about the new role and said, 'I am very happy to be associated with Star Jalsha. We are starting a new chapter together, focusing on storytelling through innovative non-fiction programmes.' He added, 'I have always believed in the power of connecting with people beyond cricket. This collaboration will allow me to achieve that by presenting new formats and real-life stories that will inspire and entertain.' While talking about the power of television, Sourav Ganguly told Indiatimes, 'I've always believed in the power of connecting with people beyond the cricket field, and this collaboration allows me to do just that — by exploring fresh formats and real stories that inspire and entertain.' Bigg Boss Bangla is slated for a primetime launch in July next year and production will commence in a few months. Sourav also appeared in a promotional video for the OTT series Khakee: The Bengal Chapter. He appeared as a cop in the video for Netflix series, which featured Saswata Chatterjee, Ritwik Bhowmik, Aadil Zafar Khan, Pooja Chopra, Aakanksha Singh, Mimoh Chakraborty, and Shraddha Das. For the unknown, cricketer Saurav Ganguly was recently re-appointed as the chairperson of the ICC men's cricket committee, and VVS Laxman has also been re-elected as one of the panelists.
News18
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Sourav Ganguly Leaves Zee Bangla's 'Dadagiri', Signs Rs 125 Crore Contract With Star Jalsha
Last Updated: Sourav Ganguly shared that he is beginning a new chapter with Star Jalsha with a focus on storytelling through innovative non-fiction programmes In a move that has taken the Bengali television world by storm, Sourav Ganguly has announced his departure as the host of the popular show ' Dadagiri ' on Zee Bangla. This revelation came during an exclusive interview with News18 Bangla, which was the first to break the news of the former Indian cricket captain's exit from the show. Sourav Ganguly will now be seen in a new role with Star Jalsha, after signing a record-breaking deal worth Rs 125 crore. According to sources, he is set to host Bigg Boss and another quiz show on the channel. Expressing his excitement about the new venture, Sourav remarked, 'I am very happy to be associated with Star Jalsha. We are starting a new chapter together, focusing on storytelling through innovative non-fiction programmes." He further added, 'I have always believed in the power of connecting with people beyond cricket. This collaboration will allow me to achieve that by presenting new formats and real-life stories that will inspire and entertain."
