While India teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had to wait for his international debut, Ireland handed a maiden T20I cap to Indian left-arm pacer Jai Moondra 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, an 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: “He would have bowled. It looks like a good pitch. It was a matter of transition. Stirlo led the last two years beautifully. Jai made his debut today.”Moondra’s debut did not attract the same attention as Sooryavanshi’s expected appearance, 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 Communication. Upon arrival, he joined Leinster Cricket Club in Dublin and worked his way up through Ireland’s domestic set-up.Speaking after receiving his first 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 goals, but I’m not stressed about the future. I’m trying to enjoy the moment with India.Interestingly, Moondra did not start his cricket journey as a fast bowler. He started out as a batsman who could bowl left-arm 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 joined a list of players of Indian origin to represent Ireland. This list includes Raman Lamba and Simi Singh, according to a report by Cricbuzz. Another name is Robin Waters, who was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and was part of the Ireland team that defeated the West Indies by 25 runs in 1969.Indian cricket fans may also recognize Waters as the driver involved in the 1961 road accident in England that left Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, who was traveling as a passenger, with the loss of vision in one eye.