While Indian teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had to wait for his international debut, Ireland handed India-born left-arm pacer Jai Moondra his maiden T20I cap in the series opener at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast on Friday.India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to field first. India went with three specialist fast bowlers, one all-rounder and two spinners, while Sooryavanshi was left out of the playing XI.For Ireland, captain Lorcan Tucker confirmed Moondra’s debut at the toss, saying: “I would have heard. He looks like a really good bowler. It was a transition thing. Stirlo has led the last few years beautifully. Jai makes his debut today.”Moondra’s debut may not have attracted the same attention as Sooryavanshi’s expected performance, but the 29-year-old has built a reputation in Irish cricket as one of the fastest bowlers from Leinster, Ireland’s most populous province.
Who is Jai Moondra?
Born in Tonk, Rajasthan, Moondra moved to Ireland in 2021 to pursue a Masters in Electronics and Communications. After arriving, he joined Leinster Cricket Club in Dublin and worked his way into the Ireland domestic set-up.Speaking after receiving his first Ireland call-up, Moondra told Cricket Ireland: “Playing international cricket has always been a dream. I’m really grateful to Cricket Ireland for giving me this opportunity. Although I set myself targets, I also focus on every game. I have targets but I’m not stressed about the future. I’m trying to enjoy the moment – and that’s what I intend to do with the India series.”Interestingly, Moondra did not start his cricket journey as a fast bowler. He started off as a left-arm batsman before switching to pace later in his career.His domestic record includes one first-class match for Leinster, along with six List A matches and five T20 matches.With his debut, Moondra joins the list of players of Indian origin to represent Ireland. This list includes Raman Lamba and Simi Singh, according to a Cricbuzz report. Another name is Robin Waters, who was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and was part of the Irish side that beat the West Indies by 25 wickets in 1969.Indian cricket fans may also recognize Waters as the driver involved in a road accident in England in 1961 in which Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, who was traveling as a passenger, lost the sight in one eye.
