IPL’s first indigenous player Robin Minz glad for chance ‘to rise after a fall’ | Cricket News – Times of India

Though India player Ishan Kishan remains the biggest grosser among the three Jharkhand cricketers sold at 2025 IPL mega auction in Jeddah, all eyes will be on two other young wicketkeeper-batters from the state – Robin Minz and Kumar Kushagra. Both got richer by Rs. 75 lakh each on Sunday evening, while Kishan moved to Sunrisers Hyderabad from Mumbai Indians with Rs. 11.25cr in his kitty.
Getting sold for ‘just’ Rs. 75 lakh to Mumbai Indians during the 2025 IPL mega auction might look poor compared to what Minz attracted at the 2024 mini auction. The first Adivasi (indigenous) player in IPL history was bought by Gujarat Titans for a whooping Rs 3.6 cr a year ago.
However, a freak bike accident ahead of the 2024 season ruled Minz out of any IPL action. As Minz gets ready to take his flamboyance in domestic cricket to the biggest stage in franchise cricket in the upcoming season, there is much more to the price tag.Currently, Minz is busy playing in Syed Muhstaq Ali Trophy with his Jharkhand teammates. So repeated calls to the 22-year-old went unanswered. But his father, Francis Xavier Minz’s phone was busy talking to relatives and well-wishers since Sunday evening.
Talking to TOI from the Ranchi airport, where the former Army man works as security guard, Xavier said, “We are incredibly happy that Robin has again got the chance to prove himself at the biggest stage (IPL). Robin had called yesterday right after his deal, he was very happy, too. We are not at all bothered that he has been sold for Rs. 75 lakh this year. Even if he was sold for Rs. 20 or 30 lakh it was okay for us. It is always good to rise after a fall, that brings more happiness and satisfaction.”
Pointing at his son’s prospect of facing Jasprit Bumrah at the Mumbai Indians nets, Xavier further added, “MI is a very big team, they have so many big players. Robin will get chance to play, practice alongside the likes of Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah. I think, getting the chance to play Bumrah at the nets for 2-3 months will be the biggest learning experience for Robin this season. He’s the best bowler in the world now, so there’s lot to learn from him. We just hope Robin gets to play as many matches as possible.”
A day after being bought by MI, Minz underscored his credentials as a big-hitting wicketkeeper-batter with a brisk, unbeaten 36 off 12 balls with five fours and two sixes in Jharkhand’s 88-run win over Manipur in Mumbai on Monday.