Bhubaneswar: Odisha's ace cueist  Asutosh Padhy staged a stunning comeback by defeating former world champion Shrikrishna Suryanarayan and book his place in the Top 32 of the ongoing National 9-Ball Pool Championship at Ludhiana from March 24 to 31, organized by the Billiards and Snooker Federation of Indiav(BSFI).

Padhy found himself trailing 3–5 against Suryanarayan, who represents the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board and is a former 6-Red Snooker World Champion. With elimination looming, Padhy held his nerve under pressure, producing a brilliant three-frame burst to clinch the match 6–5 in a thrilling decider.

Earlier, Padhy had already shown his fighting spirit in the Round of 128, edging past Nitesh Madaan of Railways 6–5. He began his campaign in emphatic fashion, cruising to a 6–0 win over Neeraj Bagga in the Round of 264.

With confidence and momentum on his side, Padhy will be aiming to continue his impressive run in the championship.