While India’s teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had to wait for his international debut, Ireland handed a first T20I cap to India-born left-arm pacer Jai Moondra in the opening match of the series at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast on Friday.India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose 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, “Would’ve bowled. Looks like a really good pitch. It was a matter of transition. Stirlo led the last couple of years beautifully. Jai is making his debut today.”Moondra’s debut may not have drawn the same attention as Sooryavanshi’s expected appearance, but the 29-year-old has built a reputation in Irish cricket as one of the quickest bowlers from Leinster, Ireland’s most populated province.
Who is Jai Moondra?
Born in Tonk, Rajasthan, Moondra moved to Ireland in 2021 to pursue a Master’s degree in Electronics and Communication. After arriving, he joined Leinster Cricket Club in Dublin and worked his way into Ireland’s domestic setup.Speaking after receiving his maiden Ireland call-up, Moondra told Cricket Ireland, “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.”Interestingly, Moondra did not begin his cricket journey as a fast bowler. He started out as a batter who could bowl left-arm spin before switching to pace later in his career.His domestic record includes one first-class match for Leinster, along with six List A games and five T20 matches.With his debut, Moondra joined a list of players of Indian origin to represent Ireland. That list includes Raman Lamba and Simi Singh, as per a report by Cricbuzz. Another name is Robin Waters, who was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and was part of the Ireland side that bowled out the West Indies for 25 in 1969.Indian cricket fans may also recognise Waters as the driver involved in the 1961 road accident in England that left Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, who was travelling as a passenger, with the loss of vision in one eye.
