The Ireland national men’s selector Andrew White called Jai Moondra last Friday. He told him he was in the squad for the T20I series against India starting June 26 in Belfast.
Moondra was speechless.
He is 29 years old. He is from Tonk — a small town about 100 kilometres from Jaipur in Rajasthan. He grew up playing cricket there. In 2021 he packed his bags, got a student visa and flew to Ireland to do an M Tech degree in Electronics and Communication.
He kept playing cricket while studying and working. He got Irish citizenship in 2025. And now he is going to play against India — the country he was born in — at Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast.
The Boy From Tonk
Moondra started playing cricket as a kid in Tonk. He joined a local academy and worked on his fast bowling. The academy also gave him confidence as a batter. By the time he was 16 he was batting in the top order and bowling left-arm spin.
He moved to Dublin in 2021 and started playing for Leinster Cricket Club. In 2023 his club won the Irish Senior Cup. He said it was one of the proudest moments of his career.
He described the Irish domestic cricket scene as competitive and welcoming. Good people, good atmosphere, he said. That environment helped him grow as a cricketer.
He got Irish citizenship in 2025. A year later the national selector called.
| Format | Mat | Wkts | Avg | Best | Runs |
| All Formats | — | 33+ | 20.30 | 4/15 | 47* |
| T20 Cup 2024 | 5+ | 12+ | ~15 | 4/15 | — |
| List A (debut 2025) | 2 | 2+ | — | — | — |
What He Said
Moondra told Cricket Ireland that his plan with the ball is simple. He wants to be unpredictable. Put pressure on the batter. Make them uncomfortable.
On playing cricket in Ireland he said it is more than just a sport. He loves badminton, volleyball, table tennis and soccer. But cricket has always come first.
Family Reaction Back in Tonk
His sister Mansi said she is very happy. Her brother’s dream has come true. He has been playing cricket since childhood and now he is playing for Ireland against India. She said everyone is calling and coming to visit.
His mother Vidya said he was studying and working and never stopped focusing on cricket. He was working hard and caught the eye of the selectors. She said her son has fulfilled her dream by reaching the international stage.
There were celebrations in Tonk through the night.
Also Read-IRE vs IND Fantasy Team Prediction, Pitch Report, Weather and Playing XI — India Tour of Ireland 2026
What Happens Now
Jai Moondra will play against India on June 26 or June 28 in Belfast. He will bowl at Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma. He will bat against Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.
The India team that just won the Men’s T20 World Cup. His first international opponents.
A boy from a small town in Rajasthan representing Ireland against his home country. Cricket keeps telling this story in different ways. This is one of the best versions of it.
Match Details
1st T20I: June 26 2026, Civil Service Cricket Club Belfast, 6:00 PM IST
2nd T20I: June 28 2026, Civil Service Cricket Club Belfast, 6:00 PM IST
Live TV India: Sony Sports TEN Network and DD Sports
Live Streaming India: Sony LIV
India Captain: Shreyas Iyer
Ireland Captain: Lorcan Tucker
Who is Jai Moondra?
Jai Moondra is a 29-year-old cricketer from Tonk in Rajasthan. He moved to Ireland in 2021 on a student visa to do an M Tech degree. He played domestic cricket for Leinster Cricket Club, got Irish citizenship in 2025 and has been picked in the Ireland T20I squad to face India in Belfast starting June 26 2026.
Where is Jai Moondra from?
Jai Moondra is from Tonk, a town in Rajasthan about 100 kilometres from Jaipur. His family still lives there and celebrated his Ireland call-up.
How did Jai Moondra end up playing for Ireland?
He moved to Ireland in 2021 on a student visa to study. He kept playing club cricket for Leinster in Dublin, won the Irish Senior Cup with them in 2023, got Irish citizenship in 2025 and impressed selectors enough to earn a T20I call-up.
When does Jai Moondra play against India?
Ireland vs India 1st T20I is on June 26 2026 at Civil Service Cricket Club Belfast at 6:00 PM IST. The 2nd T20I is on June 28 at the same venue.