Robin Minz, an explosive batting prodigy from Jharkhand, captured the nation’s attention when he became the first player from an indigenous tribe to earn an IPL contract by joining the Gujarat Titans franchise during the 2024 mini-auction. However, a freak motorcycle accident mere days before the start of IPL 2024 ruled him out of the entire season. Making up for the lost time, the 22-year-old landed another IPL contract later in November, this time to join a star-studded Mumbai Indians line-up for IPL 2025. Tracing back his cricketing roots, the talented wicketkeeper-batter started his journey from a very young age at Sonnet Club, where he earned the nickname ‘Chris Gayle of Jharkhand’. Justifying his moniker and his lucrative IPL price tag, Robin Minz clobbered a 12-ball 36* for Jharkhand against Manipur at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, just a day after the IPL 2025 mega auction. The youngster smeared five boundaries and two sixes in his raging knock, and demonstrated early signs of his hard-hitting excellence, doing so in his maiden domestic season for Jharkhand. Prior to his domestic debut, Minz made a crucial 77 from 80 balls against Haryana in Jharkhand XI’s first game of the Col. CK Nayudu trophy. Batting at number four, the left-hander launched 10 boundaries and three sixes while batting at number three to fast-track himself into the big leagues of Jharkhand cricket. (As of January 2025)
