Heaping praise on the Indian legacy in billiards and snooker, Australian cueist Matthew Bolton today said that the nation's poster boy of cue sports Pankaj Advani is one of the best he has seen and one of the favourites to win the IBSF World Snooker Championship.
"He has incredible mental prowess and one of the best I have ever seen ... He also is one of the favourites in the world event," Bolton told reporters at the unveiling of the Championship logo here.
The Championship is scheduled between November 19-29, which ill be held at Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium.
Asked about his chances in the world event here, Bolton said he had a very good year back home in England and is hopeful of playing well in the world event, however he is wary of the Indian challenge.
"It is incredibly strong team led by Pankaj. I had a good year back home. If I play well, and hopefully I will could go quite far in the event," he said.
Advani also has an incredible self-belief which makes him steal the show against his toughest of opponents as well, and is well supported by his brother Sree, who is a sports psychologist.
"He has incredible temperament and self-belief no matter what the situation he is in ... I know his brother is a sports psychologist ... To keep Pankaj cool under pressure. What he has achieved in snooker and billiards, - to me is impossible," he said.
Bolton said India have a great legacy of billiards and snooker.
"India has a great tradition in billiards with legends like Pankaj, Geet Sethi and Michael Ferreira ... In last five years or so snooker history has started to take shape in India, obviously led by Pankaj," he said.
Though Advani and few other players are making rounds in the media, but surely there are many others who are competent to play at the international level, Bolton said.
"Apart from Pankaj and other players, the rest of Indian players are little unknown, but I am sure the number of guys are very competent," he said.
