Raj Hundal has unveiled a masterplan to revolutionise cue sports forever – with an innovative new league featuring the “crème de la crème” of world pool.
The 2005 World Masters champ gave Eastern Eye exclusive access to his business blueprint, which he hopes will rival the successes of similar franchise-based tournaments like cricket’s Indian Premier League (IPL).
The flamboyant 35-year-old Hounslow-born potter is swapping his cue for a suit in a bid to take on rival promoters who “haven’t got a clue” about how to boost pool’s popularity.
“Our professional league will be the first of its kind. We’ve got players from all over the world, with continental regional teams. We have bonafide stars; the best of the best from the UK, America, Taiwan, China – the crème de la crème,” Hundal said.
“We’re innovating from the first shot. You’ll see something that has never been done before in any cue sport, let alone pool. I like to put my money where my mouth is. I now sit on the board (of the company) and captain one of the teams.”
Hundal is working with a Canadian firm and a silent partner to make his dreams of bringing pool into the mainstream in the same way darts has in recent years. Information about the name of the league and which players will be involved will be officially announced next year, he said.
The format, featuring five-man teams in singles, doubles and three-on-three 9-ball action, will have its all-star showcase promo in Toronto, Canada, in April/May 2017. The concept will then be marketed to interested TV networks and sponsors.
“Our first event will be used to develop a pilot and showcase the league. There’s no limit to where we can take it, but ultimately it will depend on money and sponsors.
“It depends on what the networks wants. Depending on that, we will pick the lengths of games and how many singles and doubles matches. We would definitely like three singles matches and at least two lots of doubles. And it’s all on our own money. I’m proud of that.”
Hundal, a former top three-ranked player and a winner in Cyprus and Sweden, revealed that he decided to turn his attentions to building his own empire after becoming disillusioned with the sport after 18 years on the professional circuit.
Never shy of giving his opinion, ‘The Hitman’ slammed the current state of pool and vowed to make things right for the “overworked” and “underpaid” players who are travelling the world for little or no reward.
“I got tired of playing in garbage events,” he explained. “The promoters haven’t got a clue, and you can print that. They don’t know how to make pool any good – and that’s the problem. Every year the crowds get smaller, and promoters either cut back, or cancel events altogether. Meanwhile, I tell these promoters what to do and they look at me like I have no idea.
“I’m the wolf, I know what’s happening here. Now it’s time to do it myself. A lot of players are tired now; call it slave labour, over-worked, extremely underpaid. They’re all trying to do something, but I’m lucky enough to be in that position where I’m with the right guys and can finally make a difference.
“Existing promoters don’t overly impress me. They’ve been doing the same thing for the last 30 years, same tournaments, same prize money even. I don’t want to call that failure, but it definitely isn’t helping to move the game forward.”
Hundal, who had represented both England (with snooker icon and friend Ronnie O’Sullivan, and India in the World Cup of Pool, said his proposed event will use special proprietary technologies that were built in-house specifically for the project.
Hundal explained: “We’ve been in development for almost two years now, creating the technology that’s necessary to innovate and make the game appeal to spectators. Comprehensive live statistics, a radar gun to regulate break speeds, overhead moving camera systems, an automated fantasy league, and much more. Everything is self-sufficient, design and produced in-house to create a great final product. We’ve even built an arena that is portable. We can take it anywhere in the world, and we’ve designed every nut and bolt.
“If someone called up and said come and do an event in say, the United Arab Emirates, we can. The reason I say that is because I have a Qatari player and a kid from Kuwait on my team, so there’s a chance that could happen.
Hundal said the he can’t wait to launch the project and finally get the spotlight back on the table again.
“The project has been kept secret from all but a few, but those who know about it love it. They know if I’m going to do something, it’s going to be good. It took a minute to get this all together, and it’s been a lot of work and hustle. We’re finally getting there now,” he said.
“Our arena isn’t going to be like any normal pool or snooker event either. It will have the atmosphere of the darts, a bit of music, shouting and screaming. Let’s make it exciting.
“I have the full support of the players. When I put my suit on, they don’t look at me like a promoter. I’m one of them. I’ve been a touring pro over half my life.”
Despite taking 5-83 in the first innings at Headingley, Bumrah went wicketless in the second as England chased down a target of 371, with opener Ben Duckett scoring 149.
INDIA will take a last-minute call on whether to include Jasprit Bumrah in the second Test against England, starting Wednesday at Edgbaston in Birmingham, as they look to level the five-match series.
Bumrah, currently the top-ranked Test bowler, would usually be a straightforward selection after India’s five-wicket defeat in the opening Test at Headingley. However, the fast bowler is returning from a back injury and had earlier said he expected to play only three of the five Tests.
Despite taking 5-83 in the first innings at Headingley, Bumrah went wicketless in the second as England chased down a target of 371, with opener Ben Duckett scoring 149. The rest of India’s bowling attack struggled to support Bumrah during the chase.
“Bumrah is ready to play,” India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said on Monday. “It's how we manage these four Tests. So if we feel like there's value in playing him in this Test, we'll make that call at the very last minute.”
Kuldeep Yadav could return; batting collapses hurt India
India, who have now lost seven of their 11 Tests under head coach Gautam Gambhir, may consider changing the balance of their bowling line-up. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who did not play at Headingley, is an option. He has taken 56 wickets at an average of 22.16 in 13 Tests.
India’s defeat in the first Test came despite scoring five individual hundreds. Batting collapses of 7-41 (from 430-3) and 6-31 (from 333-4) proved costly. The team also dropped several straightforward catches. Harry Brook, who was dropped off a no-ball before scoring, went on to make 99 after further chances on 46 and 82.
Shubman Gill, leading India for the first time, scored 147 in the first innings. India were without former captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, both of whom also scored centuries, were seen actively directing field placements during the match.
“At one point I felt there were too many captains,” former India spinner Murali Karthik told Cricbuzz. “I just couldn't understand that. KL Rahul was making hand movements, Rishabh Pant was also doing it... There is only one captain.”
England name unchanged team for Edgbaston Test
England, after completing the tenth-highest successful fourth-innings chase in Test history, have named an unchanged team for the second Test.
Jamie Smith, who hit the winning runs in the first Test and finished 44 not out, said during a media interaction with series sponsor Rothesay: “I think the really important thing is for the team to be quite ruthless and once you're on top, try to put them to bed.”
While England’s bowlers were ineffective with the new ball in the first innings at Headingley, they improved as the match progressed. Despite speculation, Jofra Archer was not recalled to the playing XI. He remains in the Edgbaston squad, but his Test return will wait.
Chris Woakes will lead the bowling attack on his home ground in the absence of retired pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Woakes, 36, has taken 182 wickets in 58 Tests.
“I played a lot of my England games with Jimmy and Broady so it is different not having them around but also it's a great opportunity for myself,” Woakes said. “I've enjoyed that role so far and it's good to pass on some knowledge to the younger guys that haven't played as much Test cricket.”
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Raducanu and Jack Draper are making most of the headlines
Emma Raducanu defeated fellow Briton Mimi Xu 6-3, 6-3 in the Wimbledon first round.
Xu, 17, was making her Grand Slam debut and appeared overwhelmed early on.
Raducanu dropped just three points on serve in the first set.
Despite a series of breaks in the second set, Raducanu regained control to seal victory.
She described the all-British clash as “difficult” but was pleased with the result.
The biggest home assault on Wimbledon for 41 years got off to a great start on Monday when Emma Raducanu triumphed in an all-British clash.
British tennis is enjoying a buoyant period, and although former U.S. champion Raducanu and Jack Draper are making most of the headlines, 23 local players started in the men's and women's singles this week, the most at Wimbledon since 1984.
With Draper not in action until Tuesday, British women's number one Raducanu was the main attraction, although home loyalties were somewhat split as she faced 17-year-old Welsh wildcard Mimi Xu, making her Grand Slam debut.
Xu had not beaten a top 50 player and never looked likely to break that duck on Number One court as she went down 6-3 6-3. Raducanu, desperate for a deep run in her home slam after a previous best of two fourth-round exits, did not have to do anything too extraordinary against a rival who for a while seemed intimidated by the occasion.
After Xu swung wildly for a rare air shot and then tumbled to the pristine turf after a slip, the 318th-ranked teen got what no young player wants to hear – some sympathy applause.
Raducanu swept to the first set, dropping only three points in her four service games, and with a lack of tension on court, the obligatory “come on Britain” shout drew the usual ripple of Wimbledon laughter usually reserved for any lingering pigeon.
Xu settled in the second set, however, finally getting to grips with the Raducanu serve during a run of five successive breaks, but the favourite got back on track to come through.
Raducanu moves into round two
Home favourite Emma Raducanu claimed a 6-3 6-3 win over fellow Briton Mimi Xu, who was making her Grand Slam debut."I'm super pleased to have come through that match. It is so difficult playing against another Brit in the first round," Raducanu said after her victory on Court One.
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Kennedy scored two tries in Chennai’s 41-0 win over Delhi Redz in the final of the six-team rugby sevens franchise league held in Mumbai. (Photo credit: Rugby Premier League)
IRELAND Sevens international Terry Kennedy played a key role in helping Chennai Bulls secure the first Rugby Premier League (RPL) title in India on Sunday, as the new format marked its arrival in a country known for its focus on cricket.
Kennedy scored two tries in Chennai’s 41-0 win over Delhi Redz in the final of the six-team rugby sevens franchise league held in Mumbai.
India’s Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra attended the final. However, the crowd size was smaller compared to the audience that turned up to watch Virat Kohli’s Bengaluru team win the Indian Premier League earlier this month.
Despite that, organisers said the RPL’s broadcast on satellite television has provided hope that rugby could grow into a major sport in India.
“No matter how big a sport may be, there is always space if you work hard enough, if you create a product that's good enough,” Rugby India president Rahul Bose told AFP.
“In that respect we are very happy and very secure in the knowledge that there is space for this game and it doesn't have to come by eating away at anybody else's space.”
The RPL has opted for the shortest format of the game, similar to how the IPL focused on T20 cricket. The seven-a-side rugby matches in the RPL were played over four quarters of four minutes each, designed to highlight quick handling and speed over the physicality of the traditional 15-a-side version.
Kennedy was one of several experienced Sevens players brought into the tournament.
His teammate Joseva Talacolo, who also scored a try in the final, won a silver medal with Fiji at the Paris Olympics last year. Scott Curry, who has 321 caps for New Zealand’s All Blacks Sevens, featured for Bengaluru Bravehearts, who finished fourth after losing the third-place match to Hyderabad Heroes.
Perry Baker, the 39-year-old American who has twice been named World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year, returned from retirement to represent Kalinga Black Tigers.
Bose said the public response to the first season had been encouraging.
“What we have heard is that the game is easy to follow, very fast, very exciting and has got tremendous amount of likeability,” said Bose, who is also a Bollywood actor.
“Along with that, the athletic prowess of these men has come in for a lot of attention. We are happy with the connect we have made.”
Plans for expansion
The RPL is also being seen as part of India’s wider ambition to host the Olympics in 2036. With continental qualification systems in place, India is looking at the possibility of fielding a men’s or women’s rugby team before then.
The RPL includes Indian players alongside international athletes and is managed by GMR Sports, which also owns the IPL team Delhi Capitals.
“The first season has gone very well for us,” Satyam Trivedi, chief executive officer of GMR, told AFP.
“The sponsors are happy with what they see on the ground and on TV.
“However, this is just the beginning for us. We are looking at the first season as a showcase event and take a lot of learnings from here.
“In every season this league will get bigger and better.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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Mahmood, a pace bowling allrounder, played 143 one-day internationals and 21 Tests for Pakistan. (Photo: Getty Images)
PAKISTAN on Monday appointed former all-rounder Azhar Mahmood as the interim head coach of the men’s Test team. He is the fourth person to hold the position in the past 18 months.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said the 50-year-old will remain in the role until January.
Mahmood, a pace bowling allrounder, played 143 one-day internationals and 21 Tests for Pakistan. He has been serving as assistant coach since last year.
“The PCB announces Mahmood as the acting red-ball head coach of the Pakistan men’s team,” said a PCB press release.
Mahmood replaces Aaqib Javed, who was interim head coach for the Test series in South Africa in December-January and the home series against the West Indies.
Javed stepped down after Pakistan lost all four Tests and finished ninth and last in the third cycle of the World Test Championship.
Before Javed, former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie had taken over but quit six months into his stint in December 2024 following differences with the PCB.
Prior to Gillespie, former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez was the team director and had overseen a 3-0 Test defeat in Australia.
Monday’s appointment is part of a series of changes by the PCB aimed at improving the national team’s performance following a difficult two years.
Last month, New Zealand’s Mike Hesson was named white-ball head coach for two years.
Pakistan will host South Africa in October in their first series of the new World Test Championship cycle. They will then play Sri Lanka at home in December-January.
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Indian cricket head coach Gautam Gambhir. (Photo by PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP via Getty Images)
GAUTAM GAMBHIR is under growing pressure ahead of the second Test against England after India's loss at Headingley made it seven defeats in 11 red-ball matches since he became coach last year.
The 43-year-old former opening batsman is facing flak from some quarters for his selections, man management and how he carries himself in press conferences.
India are ushering in a new era following the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, with Gambhir widely reported to have played a part in the exit of at least one of the two veteran stars.
Led by new captain Shubman Gill, the visitors were beaten by five wickets in the opening Test of the five-match England series, adding to a growing sense of alarm.
The second Test at Edgbaston starts on Wednesday (2) and patience is wearing thin back home.
"Gautam Gambhir is under significant pressure. The situation is becoming increasingly tense," former India batsman Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
"He has managed two wins against Bangladesh and one against Australia, but we've lost three matches to New Zealand, three to Australia and now one to England.
"He has been losing and losing."
Gambhir, who as a player had a key role in India's ODI World Cup triumph in 2011, succeeded Rahul Dravid in July last year.
Dravid signed off a largely successful three-year tenure by winning the T20 World Cup.
Gambhir was chosen as his successor almost exactly a year ago but he and his side suffered a significant bloody nose when they went down 3-0 to New Zealand.
It was India's first Test series defeat at home in 12 years.
Along with chief selector Ajit Agarkar, Gambhir was criticised for leaving middle-order batsman Sarfaraz Khan out of the squad for England.
Karun Nair was picked ahead of Sarfaraz, who had scores of 68 not out and 56 against a visiting England last year, and made 150 versus New Zealand in Bengaluru.
Gambhir's detractors say he is hot-headed and accuse him of acting too much on instinct.
Speaking ahead of the series, Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik said that "tactically, Gauti (Gambhir) is a very good coach.
"Man management is the area that I am sure he would be looking at," he told Sky Sports' cricket podcast.
"But one thing about him is that he is looking out for his players, which is massive.
"What I feel at times is that the way he is aggressive as a captain, you can't be as a coach."
Critics don't like Gambhir's press conferences. Following the defeat at Headingley, Gambhir looked ruffled and snapped in reply to a question about Rishabh Pant's centuries in each innings.
The visiting batsmen scored five centuries in the match but still lost.
Former batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has said that Gambhir should be kept away from the media, after the coach bit back at Ricky Ponting ahead of the tour to Australia last year.
India went on to lose the series 3-1.
On the last day of the first England Test, when the hosts chased down 371, senior batsman KL Rahul and Gill's deputy Pant were seen making the fielding changes, rather than the skipper.
In the final overs it appeared pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah rejected Gill's idea of bringing him back into the attack.
Bumrah, who will only play two more Tests in the series to manage his workload, returned figures of 5-83 in England's first innings of 465 but went wicketless second time around.
A fit, firing and content Bumrah is key to India's chances.
South African great AB de Villiers questioned whether it was "mismanagement" or injury that was the cause of Bumrah being rested at a crucial point of the match.
Lack of bowling support for Bumrah and India's lower-order collapses -- from 430-3 to 471 all out in the first innings and 333-4 to 364 in the second -- also hurt the team in Leeds.