India cricketer Shubman Gill surprised his Gujarat Titans teammate Robin Minz's father, a security guard at Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport, on Wednesday as the team departed after the fourth Test against England.
Gill spoke with Minz's father, shook his hand, and took a picture with him before boarding his flight.
"Honored to meet Robin Minz's father," Gill wrote on his Instagram story, posting an image with Minz's father. "Your journey and hard work have been inspiring. Looking forward to seeing you in the IPL." The gesture was praised by fans on social media.
Minz was bought by the Gujarat Titans for ₹3.6 crore at the IPL 2024 auction in December. Known as "Ranchi ka Gayle" for his aggressive batting style, Minz's life changed after a bidding war at the auction. With a base price of just Rs. 20 lakh, the Gujarat Titans ultimately signed him for 18 times that amount, outbidding the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.
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Gill, named captain of Gujarat Titans for the upcoming season, will lead an IPL team for the first time. He succeeds Hardik Pandya, who returned to Mumbai Indians after two seasons with the Gujarat Titans.
Gill played a key role in India's five-wicket victory in the recently concluded Test match at the JSCA stadium. The 24-year-old top-scored in the final innings (52 not out) as India chased down a target of 192, thanks to a crucial sixth-wicket partnership with debutant Dhruv Jurel (39 not out). This victory gave India an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series, making them the first team to win a Test series against England in the "Bazball" era under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
Both teams will now have a 6-day break before the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala, starting March 7.
Eyes will be on Gill as he leads a franchise for the first time in the IPL. The Titans are also likely to miss star pacer Mohammed Shami, who recently underwent Achilles tendon surgery.
Gujarat Titans updated squad for IPL 2024: Shubman Gill (c), David Miller, Matthew Wade, Wriddhiman Saha, Kane Williamson, Abhinav Manohar, B. Sai Sudharsan, Darshan Nalkande, Vijay Shankar, Jayant Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, Noor Ahmad, Sai Kishore, Rashid Khan, Joshua Little, Mohit Sharma, Azmatullah Omarzai, Umesh Yadav, Shahrukh Khan, Sushant Mishra, Kartik Tyagi, Manav Suthar, Spencer Johnson, Robin Minz.
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