Learning To Run The Rack

“Aggression is a strong point of Shrikrishna. He plays an attacking game, is very intuitive and comes out as a natural player.”

- R. Venkatnarayan

AGE: 18

FROM: Chennai, Tamil Nadu

EDUCATION: Standard XII, National Public School, Gopalapuram

DISCIPLINE: Billiards & Snooker

THE BEGINNING: Shrikrishna, as a five­yearold, started with a formal coaching in tennis. He dabbled in various sports like badminton, table tennis and snooker apart from receiving focused tennis coaching.

Shanmugham, a marker, initiated Shrikrishna into cue sport, teaching him the bridge, the grip and potting, unknown to many. Shrikrishna then surprised the members­in charge of the Mylapore Club with his accuracy and potting as a 10­year­old. The club then discarded the height to determine the minimum­age rule.

At a summer coaching camp at the Mylapore Club, Shrikrishna’s father observed that he was ahead of the rest. “By the sixth session, I knew Shrikrishna was gifted. His performance was very promising in tennis as well, but I had to take a call as to where he will progress further.”

FATHER: N. Suryanarayanan (Suri) has been in the Information Technology and Software industry for over 25 years. In February 2014, he decided to choose his son’s career ahead of his own and began to focus on Shrikrishna.

“Much against the wishes of my wife, and many others in the (Mylapore) Club, as well as the TNBSA (Tamil Nadu Billiards and Snooker Association), I chose to coach Shrikrishna myself. My approach to the game was more scientific, more of applied geometry and physics. I created my own patterns to help him practise.