Robin Minz Height, Age, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Robin Minz

• Robin Minz is an Indian cricketer who is known for being the first tribal boy from Jharkhand to secure a spot in IPL training for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2024 auction.

• When Robin was two years old, his father visited home and noticed Robin attempting to hit pebbles with a stick. His father made a bat from a piece of wood and got a ball from the market, and that is when his cricket journey began.

• After some time, his father got transferred to Ranchi, and the family settled in Namkum, 15 kilometres away from the city. Robin played cricket more actively when he started going to school.

• In an interview, his father said that it was very difficult for him to afford the education of his three children. Sometimes, he used to borrow money and other times he had to sacrifice his essential needs. This posed challenges for him to purchase expensive cricket gear for Robin. Despite the hurdles, he did everything he could to support Robin’s cricketing aspirations.

• According to Robin’s mother, once, Robin played exceptionally well in Khunti (a district in Jharkhand), and the performance was so notable that reporters visited their home. The next day, they featured her mother’s picture in the newspapers. She even playfully called Robin’s father to tell him about it, mentioning that her picture was featured in the papers, but he didn’t.

• In another interview, his mother said that when they initially visited a sports goods store to purchase a bat and other equipment for Robin, they thought spending around Rs. 2000 on his kit. However, to their surprise, the bat alone cost Rs. 5000. The shopkeeper even seemed suspicious, wondering if they could afford it. They borrowed some money and bought the kit.

• He started playing cricket at the age of 8. His father was also interested in sports, and his passion for athletics led him to a military job. When the family relocated to Ranchi after his army enlistment, Robin discovered cricket. Like many children growing up in the 2000s, he aspired to become like the legendary cricketer from the city, MS Dhoni.

• In an interview, his father said that he did not have any knowledge about cricket, but he would still take him and his daughters to the park and bowl to Robin. In an interview, he said,
  

  I have taught him imaandaari (honesty) and wafadari (loyalty). I hope he stays grounded, chases his dream, gives his 100 per cent and keeps working hard. At 9 Bihar Regiment, our war cry is ‘Karam hi dharam hai’ (Work is worship). I have told him to keep this in mind.”

• After finishing his studies up to the tenth standard, Robin opted to pursue a career in cricket and put his education on hold for the time being.

• Robin polished his cricketing abilities under the guidance and coaching of Chanchal Bhattacharya, SP Gautam, and Asif Haq at the Sonet Cricket Club in Ranchi. In an interview, his coach Chanchal Bhattacharya who is also MS Dhoni’s one-time coach talked about Robin and said,
  

  He had been playing with us at Sonnet for a couple of years. He was always a natural, aggressive hitter of the ball. He isn’t Dhoni yet, but when Dhoni first came to me, we saw that even if he scored just 10 runs, he would hit a six. Robin is the same. They are identical in that respect. Robin is what we call a hard-hitter.

• Being a left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman, he played for Jharkhand in Under-19 and Under-25 cricket.

• In 2022, he scored an unbeaten 73 off 35 deliveries during an invitational T20 tournament in Odisha.

• During the IPL auction 2024, the Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans engaged in a bidding war for Robin, starting from his base price of Rs. 20 lakh. The intense competition resulted in a substantial payday for him, as he secured a contract worth Rs. 3.6 crore, 18 times his base price.

• Before being selected by the Gujarat Titans, he attempted trials with several IPL franchises, including Lucknow Supergiants, Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders but remained unsold during the 2023 auction. Despite encountering challenges in those trials, Robin remained determined and persistent.

• According to Robin’s family and neighbours, Robin is a quiet person. Once, his school summoned his parents and requested them to “teach your son to talk” because of his reserved nature.

• In an interview, Robin’s father shared that MS Dhoni once met him at the airport and assured him that if no team selected Robin in the IPL 2024 auction, Dhoni would ensure that Chennai Super Kings picked him up.

• Robin’s role model is Mahendra Singh Dhoni who has inspired him since childhood by offering valuable advice on agility, quick reflexes, and wicketkeeping.