NEW DELHI: For a week before the two-match T20I series against India, Jai Moondra spent hours chalking out plans to counter the teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Before the series, the 15-year-old wonderkid was tipped to make his international debut, but the Indian team management decided to stick with their World Cup-winning combination.Even though the 15-year-old didn’t feature in the series, the preparations proved fruitful for Moondra. The left-arm quick picked up 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 Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Shreyas Iyer. “His main plan was against Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Vaibhav eventually didn’t play, but Moondra had prepared so thoroughly that the hard work still paid off. He dismissed Sanju Samson twice and also took the wickets of Abhishek Sharma, Shreyas Iyer and Shivam Dube. The boy has put in a lot of effort, and these results are simply the reward for that hard work,” Mohan Singh, former Rajasthan cricketer under whose coaching Moondra sharpened his bowling, told TimesofIndia.com.
His main plan was against Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Vaibhav eventually did not play, but the he had prepared so thoroughly that the hard work still paid off.
Mohan Singh | Jai Moondra’s coach
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 doesn’t swing in. Please help me fix it.”)For the next three years, Mohan worked on Moondra’s biomechanics, and the Tonk-born cricketer earned an opportunity to become a net bowler for the Bengal Ranji Trophy team during the 2019-20 season.“He impressed VVS Laxman, who was the batting consultant with the Bengal team. Arun Lal loved his bowling and Manoj Tiwary also showered praise on him,” Singh recalled.
Jai Moondra (right) with his coach Mohan Singh (Special Arrangement)
Mohan Singh, who worked with the 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 had sent him to Ustaad ji and requested him to have a look. Ustaad ji had a keen eye for talent. Just weeks before he passed away, 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 bit sad but said, ‘Kaafi mehnati ladka laga‘ (He seemed like a very hard-working boy).”The hard work never stopped for Moondra, who moved to Ireland in 2021 to pursue a Master’s degree in Electronics and Communication.“He was a very good batter before he became a bowler. Woh pagal tha cricket ko lekar (He was crazy about cricket),” Jai Moondra’s mother, Vidya Moondra, told this website.“We were surprised when he told us that he had been picked for the Ireland team. Then he made his debut and played a big role in Ireland’s historic win over India. We were a little disappointed by India’s defeat, but compared to our son’s happiness, everything else felt insignificant,” she said with a laugh.After relocating to Ireland, Moondra started playing for Leinster Cricket Club in Dublin. He was part of the club’s Irish Senior Cup-winning team in 2023 and also served as a net bowler when India toured Ireland under Jasprit Bumrah’s captaincy.
Jai Moondra plays for Leinster Cricket Club in Dublin
“Interestingly, VVS Laxman was the coach of that India side, and he immediately recognised Jai. Even Bumrah shared a few tips with him. It was very fruitful for him,” Mohan Singh said.Back then, however, Moondra was 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 seeking full-time engineering roles in Ireland and across Europe, with the #OpenToWork badge visible on his profile. After his sensational debut, however, it appears his corporate career may have to take a back seat, at least for the next few years, as he is set to become a sought-after name in franchise T20 cricket.Meanwhile, in Tonk, nearly 7,100 kilometres away from Belfast, the Moondra household has become the centre of attention overnight. Friends, relatives and curious neighbours have been dropping by, while the phone has barely stopped ringing.For Vidya Moondra, though, 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 God’s grace. I pray he continues to make the country proud),” she said.She admits India’s defeat hurt, but seeing her son script history in international cricket made it a day the family will cherish forever.