NEW DELHI: For a week before the two-match T20I series against India, Jai Moondra spent hours drafting plans to counter teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Before the series, the 15-year-old prodigy was tipped to make his international debut, but the Indian team management decided to stick with their World Cup-winning combination.Although the 15-year-old did not appear in the series, the preparations were fruitful for Moondra. The left-armer quickly took five wickets in two matches, including a match-winning spell of 3 for 32 in the second T20I, during which he wreaked havoc with the new ball by removing it. Saint SamsonAbhishek Sharma and Shreyas Iyer. “His main plan was against Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Vaibhav eventually didn’t play, but Moondra had prepared so well that hard work always paid off. He dismissed Sanju Samson twice and also took the wickets of Abhishek Sharma, Shreyas Iyer and Shivam Dube. The boy just put in effort, reward and a lot of results. Mohan Singhformer Rajasthan cricketer under his coaching Moondra sharpened his bowling, he told TimesofIndia.com.
His main plan was against Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Vaibhav eventually didn’t play, but he had prepared so well that hard work always paid off.
Mohan Singh | Jai Moondra’s trainer
Mohan Singh still vividly remembers the evening in 2018 when Moondra, then an engineering student, walked into his Seema Sports Club in Jaipur and said:Sir, meri ball andar nahi aati, woh theek kar do” (“Sir, my ball won’t fit. Please help me fix it.”)For the next three years, Mohan worked on Moondra’s biomechanics, and the Tonk cricketer won the opportunity to become a net bowler for the Bengal Ranji Trophy team during the 2019-20 season.“He impressed VVS Laxmanwho was the batting consultant with the Bengal team. Arun Lal loved his bowling and Manoj Tiwary also raved about it,” recalled Singh.
Jai Moondra (right) with his coach Mohan Singh (Special Arrangement)
Mohan Singh, who worked with late Tarak Sinha for 15 years, also shared an interesting story about how Moondra impressed ‘Ustaad ji’ at Sonnet Club in Delhi.“It was just before Covid. I sent it to Ustaad ji and asked him to take a look. Ustaad ji had a keen eye for talent. Just weeks before he died, I remember him asking me about Jai. When I told him that the boy had moved to Ireland to pursue higher education, he was a little sad, but he said: “Kaafi mehnati ladka laga” (He seemed like a very hardworking boy).The hard work never stops for Moondra, who is moving to Ireland in 2021 to pursue a Masters in Electronics and Communication.“He was a good batsman before he became a bowler. Woh pagal tha cricket ko lekar (He was cricket mad),” Jai Moondra’s mother Vidya Moondra told this website.“We were surprised when he told us that he had been selected for the Ireland team. Then he made his debut and played a big role in Ireland’s historic victory over India. We were a little disappointed by India’s defeat, but compared to our son’s happiness, everything else felt insignificant,” he said with a laugh.After moving to Ireland, Moondra started playing for Leinster Cricket Club in Dublin. He was part of the Irish Senior Cup winning team in 2023 and also served as net bowler when India toured Ireland under the captaincy of Jasprit Bumrah.
Jai Moondra plays for Leinster Cricket Club in Dublin
“Interestingly, VVS Laxman was the coach of that side of India, and he recognized Jai immediately. Even Bumrah shared a few tips with him. It has been very fruitful for him,” said Mohan Singh.At the time, however, Moondra would be juggling work and cricket. He was employed at Intel, but from 2025 onwards he focused solely on cricket. Within a year, he had become Ireland’s newest hero.Moondra’s LinkedIn profile shows that he parted ways with Intel in June 2025 and is currently looking for a full-time engineering role in Ireland and across Europe, with the #OpenToWork badge visible on his profile. After his sensational debut, however, it looks like his corporate career will have to take a backseat, at least for the next few years, as he is set to become a sought-after name in franchise T20 cricket.Meanwhile, in Tonk, almost 7,100 kilometers away from Belfast, the Moondra house became the center of attention overnight. Curious friends, relatives and neighbors went to hunt it down, while the phone just stopped ringing.For Vidya Moondra, however, the moment is less about fame and more about gratitude.
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“Sab upar waale ki dua hai, isi tarah desh ka naam roshan kare (Everything is by the grace of God. I pray that he will continue to make the country proud),” he said.She admits India’s defeat hurt, but seeing her son’s history in international cricket made it a day the family will look back on forever.
