Mehta the best bet

There’s been a drought of Asian Snooker champions in India for the past five years. The last Indian to don the crown was Alok Kumar, who upstaged world amateur champion Pankaj Advani in an all-India final in 2004.

This time, team India — comprising Manan Chandra, Aditya Mehta and Brijesh Damani - are determined to buck the trend at the 25th Asian Snooker Championship in Tangshan, China. The trio leave on Friday.

The team — though missing the services of India No.2 Pankaj Advani, who backed out citing personal commitments — has the potential to return with the Asian crown, according to two-time Asian champion Yasin Merchant.

“They have to raise the level of their games a little and we’ll have a winner,” Merchant said.

Mehta, who is fresh from the 2008-09 season on the professional tour, is India’s best bet going by current form. “In the past four tournaments I have won two and ended as runner-up in two.

I think that’s as good as it gets. I fancy my chances of winning the title this time,” said Mehta, who was a finalist in last year’s version of the tournament.

Representing India as No.1 will be Manan Chandra, who is keen on breaking his jinx at the championship. “I have exited the tournament at the quarterfinal stage on three occasions and I would surely like to be fourth-time lucky,” Chandra said.

Brijesh Damani, on his first foreign tour, is keen on exploring the international circuit. “I am going there to learn from the better players there. I have been familiar with the Indian circuit over the past. This will be a great experience,” the India No.4 said.

The elite field of cueists in the draw include China’s professional snooker player and Asian Games medallist Tian Pengfei and Thai champion James Wattana, who will be tough hurdles for the Indians to cross.