The Vaibhav Sooryavanshi mania has spread among cricket fans across Europe ahead of his possible debut against Ireland and they are jostling for tickets even at the last minute, says former India and Irish cricketer MV Narasimha Rao.The wonder kid could be making his India debut during the two-match T20I series against Ireland, beginning at Belfast on June 26, and Rao like many others can’t wait to see him real-time.“I think they (local organisers) will have to put more seats because this stadium (Stormont ground) has only 7000 seats or something. Already, people from other parts of Europe like Paris etc want to come, hopefully, we can find a way to accommodate them,” Rao told PTI from Strabane, Ireland.“So, I think it will be history, a momentous day if he makes his debut in Ireland. It was unexpected, and in the last 10 days, it’s really a big excitement here,” he added.Rao, who played four Tests for India and then for Ireland in the mid 90s before they attained the ICC member status, said Sooryavanshi may enjoy batting at Belfast.“He’s phenomenal, great to watch and I’d watched him on the television during the IPL. He may enjoy batting as the wickets here are generally slow and Ireland doesn’t have the same kind of fast bowlers, you know, with pace,” he said.Rao foresees a bigger challenge for the 15-year-old during the T20I series against England.“But once he goes to England, it’ll be a big test for him because the ball moves there and weather too changes even in the short duration of a T20. But I wish him a good series.” Rao, who has extensive coaching experience with Hyderabad and in Ireland, offered his observations on Sooryavanshi’s astonishing success till now.“He reminds me – from a few of the matches I watched of Gary Sobers – the high backswing and the bat, straight it comes, and he picks up the ball very quickly. He’s so versatile and can play every shot in the game at this young age.” The 71-year-old-felt that the biggest challenge for the left-hander will be to keep his feet on the ground amidst the constant rush of adulations.“He has God-given talent. But my word is that – like Sachin Tendulkar – he should keep his head down and feet on the ground. He should maintain that discipline of fitness and practise hard and adapt to different wickets. It’ll be a big test for him because he is a superstar now,” he said.Rao is also eager to meet India vice-captain Tilak Varma, whom he has coached at Hyderabad during the batter’s Under-16 days.Rao, who was the first Indian Test cricketer to be awarded an MBE, will ring the Roy Torrens bell ahead of the second T20I on June 28.“It’s a very big honour and emotional as well. The most important thing is that I played for both the countries (India and Ireland).“I will cherish it for the rest of my life, because I coached, and put a lot into Irish cricket over the last three and half decades,” he said.Face off with AmbroseThe conversation took Rao to his early days in Ireland.“Basically, Ireland were short of players those days, and wanted me to play against Northamptonshire in 1995. I was a bit hesitant because I was not regularly practicing and all. But I knew the conditions as I had earlier played for Lancashire.“So, I played against Northants in the NatWest Bank Trophy (60-over-a-side), and they had a strong side, featuring players like Curtly Ambrose, Allan Lamb, Kevin Curran (father of current England players Sam and Tom Curran), Rob Bailey etc. Ambrose bowled like wind that day (12-5-17-2), and some of our batters said they did not even see the ball.” However, Rao, who guided Hyderabad to their lone Ranji Trophy title post Independence in the 1986-87 season, held firm to make an unbeaten 47.“It was a bouncy wicket, and suited the Windies legend perfectly. He started with a bouncer towards my chest and I turned it to mid-wicket for a four. Soon, when I was running, Ambrose came near me and said: ‘you don’t look Irish.” “I got two wickets but with Russell Warren making an unbeaten hundred, they won the match quite easily (seven wickets). Northants asked me to join them, but I was too old for it, and they later signed Anil Kumble, and soon I turned to coaching.”Rao’s stint as a coach in Ireland was an eventful one as he guided a plethora of young players like Eoin Morgan, Kevin O’Brien, William Porterfield, Andrew Balbirnie  etc.“It was nice to work with those talented cricketers, as I also had experience of coaching players like VVS Laxman and Mithali Raj at my academy, which was the first cricket academy in Hyderabad.“Laxman came to me when he was around 12 with his uncle Baba Krishna Mohan, and I am very happy to see him developing into a very fine cricketer for India. He still keeps in touch,” he signed off.