The voice of the heartland: How Bhojpuri found its home in the IPL
IPL 2026: Robin Singh has become one of the biggest faces of Bhojpuri commentary in the IPL. But beyond the microphone, the former coach and talent scout is also helping Bihar's next generation of cricketers find a path to the biggest stage.
Somewhere along a highway in Bihar, a man stops for a meal. Before he can order, the dhaba owner recognises him. "You are the one doing Bhojpuri commentary," the owner says, breaking into a wide smile. "It feels like we are actually there."
That man is Robin Singh: a coach, talent-spotter, and now one of the most recognisable voices in regional cricket broadcasting.
In a tournament that has made stars of batters and bowlers, Robin is quietly doing something different: giving 50 million Bhojpuri-speaking fans a seat at the table.
When JioCinema introduced Bhojpuri commentary during IPL 2023, alongside Punjabi, Odia, and Gujarati, as part of a 12-language broadcast, it was a gamble rooted in demographics. The bet paid off spectacularly. The opening weekend alone clocked 147 crore video views, the highest ever for IPL on digital. By the 2024 season, total reach had surged to 620 million viewers, a 38 per cent jump year-on-year, with the 12 regional language feeds cited as a key driver. MS Dhoni, no less, called Bhojpuri commentary "highly energetic", saying it reminded him of old-school radio commentary.
GIVING THE HEARTLAND ITS OWN VOICE
Robin knows exactly why it works.
“Whenever we visit Bhojpuri-speaking areas or meet people who have seen us on Star Sports or JioHotstar, they come up and talk to us," Robin Singh tells India Today in an exclusive interaction facilitated by JioStar.
“They tell us it feels like they are not just watching or listening to the game but actually experiencing it. The way things are said reminds them of conversations at home in their villages — the expressions, the emotions, even the anger feel the same. Wherever we go, people appreciate Bhojpuri commentary and recognise us because of it. They even mention how their village names are referenced during commentary, like saying the ball has landed in their village. Many create reels on social media and share them, so the response has been overwhelming."
But the warmth of the reception belies the effort behind it. Maintaining that flavour while delivering sharp, accurate cricket analysis is harder than it looks, and Robin is the first to admit it.
"Yes, maintaining that flavour is a challenge and requires a lot of preparation," he says. "We visit villages, spend time at home, meet elders, friends, students, and young cricketers. We also interact with our regular viewers to understand what's trending and stay active on social media. There is constant effort to bring something new, whether in tone or expression. Our producers also play a big role. For every match and situation, we try to connect with players from the Bhojpuri-speaking belt, from Bihar, UP, and Jharkhand, and bring that regional flavour into the commentary. It takes a lot of effort, but by the grace of God, everything is on track."
THE TALENT-SPOTTER BEHIND BIHAR’S RISING STARS
It is a philosophy that extends beyond the microphone. Robin has spent years doing something similar in the dusty academies and district grounds of Bihar: finding cricketers the system overlooked and building a bridge between raw talent and the big stage. When fearless prodigy Sakib Hussain — a rapid, unknown pacer from Gopalganj who once earned Rs 300 a match in the tennis-ball circuit — arrived in Patna for trials, Robin saw past the wayward accuracy to the pace underneath.
He made Sakib a deal: give up tennis-ball cricket, and I will back you. This IPL season, Sakib marked his SRH debut with a stunning four for 24 against Rajasthan Royals, touching 145 kph and earning himself the nickname "Gopalganj's Rabada."
Then there is Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Robin first met him in 2019 at the GenNext Academy — a "small, cute kid with long hair" from Samastipur, barely into his teens. One session was enough.
"I saw he was special. Very, very special," Robin recalls.
He took Vaibhav's early morning sessions alongside coach Manish Ojha, watching up close as a phenomenon took shape. The world took notice later, when Suryavanshi became the youngest centurion in IPL history in 2025. Robin already knew.
There is a thread running through all of it — the commentary, the coaching, the scouting. Robin Singh is, at his core, a man who believes the heartland has always had something extraordinary to offer. He is simply making sure that, at last, it gets heard.
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