Andreasyrt at 08:54, 23 May 2025

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{{Short description|Indian cricketer (born 1954)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = M. V. Narasimha Rao
| honorific_suffix = [[Member of the Order of the British Empire|MBE]]
| image =
| caption =
| full_name = Madireddy Venkat Narasimha Rao
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1954|08|11}}
| birth_place = [[Secunderabad]], [[Hyderabad State (1948–1956)|Hyderabad State]], India
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Legbreak
| columns = 2
| column1 = [[Test cricket|Test]]
| matches1 = 4
| runs1 = 46
| bat avg1 = 9.19
| 100s/50s1 = 0/0
| top score1 = 20*
| deliveries1 = 463
| wickets1 = 3
| bowl avg1 = 75.66
| fivefor1 = 0
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 2/46
| catches/stumpings1= 8/–
| column2 = [[First-class cricket|First-class]]
| matches2 = 108
| runs2 = 4,845
| bat avg2 = 40.71
| 100s/50s2 = 9/30
| top score2 = 160*
| deliveries2 = 13,265
| wickets2 = 245
| bowl avg2 = 28.05
| fivefor2 = 15
| tenfor2 = 3
| best bowling2 = 7/21
| catches/stumpings2= 111/–
| international = true
| country = India
| testcap = 142
| testdebutagainst = West Indies
| testdebutdate = 29 December
| testdebutyear = 1978
| lasttestdate = 26 October
| lasttestagainst = Australia
| lasttestyear = 1979
| source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/31795.html ESPNcricinfo
| date = 20 November
| year = 2022
}}

'''Madireddy Venkat '''"'''Bobjee'''"''' Narasimha Rao''' {{post-nominals|MBE}} {{audio|Madireddy_Narasimha_Rao.ogg|pronunciation}} (born 11 August 1954), is a former Indian [[cricket]]er who played in four [[Test cricket|Test matches]] from 1978 to 1979. He was also a cricket coach.

==Cricket career==
He was picked to play for India against West Indies in 1978–79, but after two tests he was dropped. He was again brought back the following season for the series against [[Kim Hughes]]' Australian team, but again discarded after two Tests. In the 5th test against Australia at [[Eden Gardens]], he played a crucial role in saving India from imminent defeat. India required 247 to win on the last day and at one point was struggling with 4 wickets down for 123. Four key batsmen - [[Sunil Gavaskar|Gavaskar]], [[Dilip Vengsarkar|Vengsarkar]], [[Gundappa Vishwanath|Vishwanath]] and [[Chetan Chauhan]] were already back in the pavilion when Narasimha Rao provided a match-saving partnership with [[Yashpal Sharma (cricketer)|Yashpal Sharma]] who scored an unbeaten 85. India ended up with a score of 200 for 4 to draw the Test.<ref>{{Cite web| access-date = 1 July 2009| publisher=ESPNcricinfo| title=Calcutta Test Scorecard - Ind/Aus: 1979-80| url=http://www.cricinfo.com/india/engine/match/63245.html}}</ref> This was the last Test match played by Narasimha Rao. As an alert close-in fielder, however he did well in picking up eight catches.

Rao captained [[Hyderabad cricket team|Hyderabad]] in [[Ranji Trophy]] from [[1977–78 Ranji Trophy|1977-78]] to [[1987–88 Ranji Trophy|1987-88]]. In the [[1984–85 Ranji Trophy|1984-85 season]], he scored his career best 160* against Kerala.<ref>[https://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1984-85/IND_LOCAL/RANJI/SOUTH/HYD_KERALA_RJI-S_30DEC1984-01JAN1985.html 160*, Hyderabad v Kerala, Secunderabad, 1984-85]</ref> A failure to win this match due to a delayed declaration was a factor in Hyderabad failing to qualify from the South Zone.<ref>[https://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1984-85/IND_LOCAL/RANJI/SOUTH/RJI-S_1984-85_TABLE.html 1984-85 South Zone points table]</ref> [[Vivek Jaisimha]] replaced him as captain for [[1985–86 Ranji Trophy|1985-86]] but Hyderabad once again failed to qualify.<ref>[https://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1985-86/IND_LOCAL/RANJI/SOUTH/RJI-S_1985-86_TABLE.html 1985-86 South Zone points table]</ref> Back as captain in [[1986–87 Ranji Trophy|1986-87]], Rao captained Hyderabad to the Ranji title for the second time in their history.<ref>[https://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1986-87/IND_LOCAL/RANJI/KNOCK-OUTS/DELHI_HYD_RJI-FINAL_21-26MAR1987.html Delhi v Hyderabad, Ranji final, 1986-87]</ref>

In first class cricket Rao scored 4,124 runs (avg 47.40) and took 218 wickets (avg 24.20).

==Coaching career==
Rao returned to competitive international cricket albeit as an assistant coach of the [[Ireland Cricket team]] for the [[2011 ICC World Cup]]. In December 2012, Rao became the first Indian cricketer to be appointed [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) for his contribution for promoting the [[sport]] and also for community service through cricket during the testing times faced by the ethnic community in [[Northern Ireland]].
<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/british-high-for-bobjee/article4246168.ece| title = British 'high' for Bobjee - The Hindu| work = The Hindu| date = 27 December 2012}}</ref>

After Rao retired, he set up the St Johns Cricket Academy which produced many stars like [[VVS Laxman]], [[Mithali Raj]], [[Bavanaka Sandeep]], [[Hanuma Vihari]] and [[Tarun Nethula]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=From Hyderabad to the North West: The fascinating life of Bobby Rao|url=https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/cricket/hyderabad-north-west-fascinating-life-bobby-rao-2968464|access-date=2020-09-14|website=www.derryjournal.com|date=11 September 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Narasimha Rao, Bobjee}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:India Test cricketers]]
[[Category:Indian cricketers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian sportsmen]]
[[Category:South Zone cricketers]]
[[Category:Coaches of the Irish national cricket team]]
[[Category:Hyderabad cricketers]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Secunderabad]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:Indian cricket coaches]]
[[Category:Ireland cricketers]]
[[Category:Indian Members of the Order of the British Empire]]

{{India-cricket-bio-1950s-stub}}

M. V. Narasimha Rao - Revision history

Andreasyrt at 08:54, 23 May 2025