Who is Jai Moondra? Born in Rajasthan, Ireland, the pacer is eager to make his debut against India

Ireland’s upcoming T20I series against India could mark a special moment for Jai Moondra, India’s fast bowling all-rounder who has earned his first international call-up. The 29-year-old left-armer, who was born in Tonk, near Jaipur, Rajasthan, hopes to make his international debut against the country of his birth a remarkable chapter in his cricketing journey.

Moondra admitted he was left speechless when Ireland selector Andrew White informed him of his selection for the national team. For a player who once believed his cricket career was over, this challenge represents the culmination of years of sacrifice, perseverance and hard work.

“It’s always been a dream to play international cricket. I’m really grateful to Cricket Ireland for giving me this opportunity. While I’m setting goals, I’m also focused on every match. I have goals but I’m not stressing about the future,” Moondra said after training on Thursday.

“I’m trying to enjoy the moment – and that’s what I intend to do with the India series. I know it will be a huge challenge – playing against India is a different class of feeling, but playing against one of the best teams in the world would be something special,” said Moondra.

Moondra is set to become only the second Indian-born man to play international cricket for Ireland. Born in Punjab, Simi Singh played 35 ODIs and 53 T20Is for Ireland since debut in 2017.

TONK TO DUBLIN: THE UNTRADITIONAL ROUTE

Moondra’s cricketing roots go back to Rajasthan where he joined an academy at a young age to develop his fast bowling skills. Interestingly, he was not always known as a pace bowler. By the age of 16, he had transformed into a first-class left-arm batsman and spinner, before eventually rediscovering his love for fast bowling during his college years.

However, academics soon took precedence and cricket became an occasional affair. After graduating college in 2019, Moondra was at a crossroads. Rather than settling into a full-time corporate career, he decided to give cricket one last shot.

This decision changed his life. He moved to Ireland in 2021 to pursue his Masters in Electronics and Communications while pursuing his cricketing ambitions. Joining Leinster Cricket Club in Dublin proved pivotal and helped him establish himself on the domestic circuit in Ireland. One of the highlights of his journey came in 2023 when he helped Leinster win the prestigious Irish Senior Cup.

“Then I decided to prioritize my studies and took a step back from cricket. I casually played for passion. I started with medium pace with a tennis ball in college, then eventually with a leather ball for my college cricket team. I started picking up the pace and that excited me. I fell in love with fast bowling again. But after college in 2019, I thought my cricketing journey would be over when I got a full chance.” I’m done!” Moondra said.

A DREAM OPPORTUNITY AGAINST THE WORLD CHAMPIONS

Moondra describes cricket as more than just a sport and sees it as a constant test of skill, mentality and character. The left-arm seamer thrives in pressure situations and relishes the challenge of competing against elite opposition.

“We know cricket is a sport, but it’s not just about technical skills. It’s about mentality, preparation and many different aspects. It tests you from every angle. Every match, every ball is a chance to test yourself. Every day is different. I love the pressure of big moments and the feeling of improvement,” said Moondra.

His bowling philosophy revolves around aggression and unpredictability. Using the left-arm pacer’s natural angle, he looks to exploit the swing with the new ball, attack the stumps and force the batsmen into errors. As the innings progresses, he relies on variations like slower balls and cutters to break up the partnership.

While Moondra is skilled with the bat, she sees adaptability as her greatest strength. Whether he needs to step up or play a patient innings, he backs up to adapt to the situation.

Now, with a possible debut against India on the horizon, Moondra is determined to seize the opportunity. The Rajasthan-born all-rounder, who has dreamed of international cricket for years, knows that facing the world champions will be a huge challenge. However, he believes that playing against one of the best teams in the world would make the event even more memorable.

Ireland will play their first T20I against India on June 26 in Belfast and Moondra will get a chance to don the Ireland jersey against his native country.

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

25 Jun 2026 18:04 IST