India-born Jai Moondra eyes Ireland debut against Men in Blue: All you need to know about left-arm seamer

The upcoming India tour of Ireland has drawn significant attention due to the potential debut of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who received his maiden India call-up for the upcoming T20 tours in Belfast and England. The upcoming two-match series could also mark a golden chance for Jai Moondra, an Indian-born cricketer named in Ireland's T20 squad.

At 29, Moondra is expected to make his Ireland debut against the Men in Blue at Belfast, taking a step forward in his cricketing journey.

Who is Jai Moondra?

Jai Moondra is a fast-bowling all-rounder and was born in Tonk, a town near Jaipur, Rajasthan. He began his cricketing journey by joining an academy to hone his fast bowling skills. Moondra also worked on his batting skills while also taking up spin bowling. At 16, he developed himself as a top-order batter who could bowl left-arm spin, but eventually discovered his passion for pace bowling in his college days.

More from Firstcricket

After finishing college in 2019, the cricketer took a gamble by giving himself "a last chance" with cricket over a full-time corporate job.

In 2021, Moondra shifted to Ireland to pursue a Master's degree in electronics and communication while also continuing his cricketing dreams. He started playing for the Leinster Cricket Club in Dublin and was also part of the team that won the Irish Senior Cup in 2023.

Also Read | India vs Ireland T20s' start time revised due to clash with another major sporting event

“Then I chose to prioritise my studies and took a step back from cricket. I played casually for passion. In college, I started medium pace with a tennis ball, then eventually leather ball for my college cricket team. I started picking up pace, and that excited me. I developed a love for fast bowling again. But after college in 2019, I thought my cricket journey would be over if I got a full-time corporate job. I wanted to give myself a last chance with cricket. So, I quit!” Moondra said to Cricket Ireland after training on Thursday.

Moondra thrilled for the opportunity as potential debut chatter heightens

Moondra also expressed gratitude to Cricket Ireland for giving him the opportunity, saying that playing international cricket has always been his dream.

He further acknowledged that it would be a significant challenge to perform against one of the world's best cricket teams as he looks ahead to the upcoming T20 series against India.

Also Read | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's parents arrive in Belfast, check into Team India hotel ahead of Ireland T20s | WATCH

“To play international cricket was always a dream. I’m really grateful to Cricket Ireland for giving me this opportunity. While I set goals for myself, I also focus on each game. I have targets, but I don’t get stressed about the future. I try to enjoy the moment – and that’s what I intend to do with the India series. I know it’s going to be a massive challenge – playing against India is another class of feeling, but to perform against one of the best teams in the world would be something special,” Moondra added.

Moondra could become the second Indian-born male cricketer to compete for Ireland in international cricket after Simi Singh, who debuted in 2017.

India's T20 tour of Ireland begins tomorrow, June 26, at the Stormont Cricket Ground in Belfast, Northern Ireland.