HYDERABAD: His mastery on the green baize is pronounced. He is the state billiards champion and is in the top 16 in national snooker. He added another feather to his cap when, on his maiden appearance in the national nine-ball pool championship which was held here, he annexed the title. That is Himanshu Jain for you.
Although he had participated in the national billiards and snooker championship before, he never tried his hand in the nine-ball championship. The 24-year-old tasted success in his first ever attempt. “I never lost a game and the only time I faced little resistance was in the semi-finals but otherwise it was very smooth ride for me,’’ he added.
A resident of Balamrai in Secunderabad and son of businessman Dinesh Jain, this young boy began his journey in cue sport by playing `pool’ game in his school days. ``I was in Class X when my friends introduced me to the pool game. I straightaway fell in love with the game. I began to beat my friends. Seeing my proficiency in the game, my friends suggested that I should be playing the game more seriously.’’
In dilemma, Jain, however, found an answer in state player Don Bosco. “Once I was taken into the game more seriously by Don Bosco, who took me to the State association, I began to realise there is a lot to learn from the game,” he adds.
Jain was taken under the wings of former secretary Srinivas Rao. He soon graduated from pool game to big-time cue sport. He won his first state billiards title in 2008 and soon became Junior number two in National snooker. Having won the nine-ball national title, Jain will now concentrate for the World championship. He had earlier participated in the under-21 world snooker championship.
But switching over to snooker and billiards from nine-ball is quite a task for Jain. “In pool game, the tables are much smaller in size as compared to billiards and snooker. I have to get used to it as I have to take part in the 6-red ball national snooker championship. This 6-red ball format is like to T20 cricket. It is fast-paced game.’’
Jain said his ultimate dream would be to win the national snooker title and become professional. “There is not much of nine-ball tournaments in the country. I feel more comfortable in snooker.’’