The glittering superstars of Indian cricket play Ireland in two internationals this weekend in Belfast. With the debut of the newest megastar Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a television audience of over a billion is expected.It would be great if the Indian TV director lingered on the pre-match ceremony, which sees the ringing of the Roy Torrens Bell to signal start of play. The honour of ringing it is given to the great and good of the local game, and this week that falls to a man whose passion bestrides both teams.Modireddy Venkateshwar Narasimha Rao — known everywhere as Bobby, or Bobjee — was a current Test cricketer for India when he fetched up in Strabane as a professional player in 1980. He grew to love the north-west of Ireland and made his home there, as a coach shaping the lives and careers of dozens of local youngsters including Boyd Rankin, William Porterfield and Andy McBrine, as well as Ed Joyce, Eoin Morgan and Niall O’Brien. With the Indian Test debut of new megastar Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to come in Belfast, a television audience of over a billion is expectedHe made a major contribution to coaching and Ireland’s advances in the sport this century, a fact acknowledged by his elevation to the Board of Cricket Ireland this year, and the MBE awarded in 2011.‘To ring the bell is a great honour, and will be very emotional,’ he said yesterday. ‘I played for both countries and I was a great friend of Roy Torrens.’He’s buzzing about that, but also about the prospect of a great occasion on the Castle grounds in Stormont on Friday and Sunday.‘It will be a very memorable day for everyone there, amazing that a player like Sooryavanshi will be making his debut here. Such a talent. Bobjee had a taste of the adulation in which India holds its great stars. He played four Test matches as a leg-spinner against West Indies and Australia in a 10-month period in 1978/79‘I watch him a lot on TV, he reminds me a lot of [West Indies legend] Garry Sobers, with his backswing. He picks the ball up so quickly.‘Even in the IPL when they targeted him with lots of short balls, he was able to adapt and scored 96 off 47 balls. He’s clearly very intelligent, he looks to have everything.‘The one test he has yet to face is the moving ball in conditions here. That will be a test.’Rao had a taste of the adulation in which India holds its great stars. He played four Test matches as a leg-spinner against West Indies and Australia in a 10-month period in 1978/79.‘My debut against the Windies was in front of 100,000 people in Kolkata. Cricket is like a religion there, people really back you to do well.’‘It was only when I started traveling to India, and Hyderabad in particular, that I started to realise how well known he was’ admits Niall O’Brien. ‘When I am Hyderabad for cricket I always speak to locals about him.’ Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals in New Chandigarh last monthSoon after that debut in Eden Gardens Rao was playing in front of crowds measured in dozens in Strabane.‘I was blessed,’ he says, ‘I settled in well.’He returned each winter to play state cricket for Hyderabad before eventually settling here with his local wife, Josephine.Rao is keen to stress that he never came across any racism on the playing fields, but saw the discrimination many newcomers suffered in the workplace. He got together a group that called itself the Strabane Ethnic Communities Association, which was launched by the Eurovision singer and neighbour Mickey Joe Harte, and John Hume MP, ‘who always talked to me about his left-arm spinner days’. Bobjee said of Sooryavanshi, above: ‘I watch him a lot on TV, he reminds me a lot of [West Indies legend] Garry Sobers, with his backswing. He picks the ball up so quickly.Rao worked for a time for Herdman’s Mill, running the Sion Mills Recreation Club, which allowed him to continue his coaching career with Ireland.He should have been appointed Head Coach in succession to Mike Hendrick, but was scandalously overlooked for Ken Rutherford, whose spell in charge was a shambles.Former Ireland wicket-keeper O’Brien was coached by Rao at the U19 World Cup in Sri Lanka in 2000.‘I loved playing for Bobby. He had a wonderful energy and spirit about how he went about his cricket. It was clear he was extremely passionate about making Irish cricket better.‘He used to bowl all the time at training in Queen’s University on a Sunday morning. His googly was very difficult to play.’In 2020, Rao and Donegal News journalist Conor Sharkey collaborated on ‘Bobby: India and Ireland… a Love Story’ which tells the story of his remarkable life. Former Ireland – and England – cricketer Ed Joyce poses next to the famous Roy Torrens BellHe is still bubbling with ideas about how to make Irish cricket better, and now has the forum with a place on the board, and a receptive new regime.‘“Hendo” and I encouraged Ed Joyce to join Middlesex, and then Morgan, Porterfield, O’Brien followed him to England. People forget that is where it all took off from. We need to get back to that situation.’Before that, Bobjee has the small matter of a bell to ring.