Gujarat Titans hire ex-CSK batter with 1,107 IPL runs as batting coach to help Shubman Gill-led side

Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022-winners Gujarat Titans (GT) have appointed Australia’s legendary opener Matthew Hayden as their batting coach for the 2026 season.

GT director of cricket, Vikram Solanki said that Hayden has been roped in keeping in mind franchise’s long-term success.

“Matthew’s appointment comes at a pivotal phase in our journey. As a franchise committed to excellence and long-term success, we are constantly focused on strengthening our cricketing ecosystem. His experience at the highest level, coupled with his ability to mentor emerging talent, will be instrumental in shaping our batting identity for the seasons ahead,” Solanki said in an official statement.

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Hayden, who has commented in the IPL for years, wants to set a standard for Shubman Gill-led GT.

“Good batting applies pressure. Great batting owns the game. That’s the standard we want to set at Gujarat Titans,” Hayden said.

GT's previous batting coach was former India opener Parthiv Patel. Interestingly, Patel has opened at CSK alongside Hayden.

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Hayden’s IPL career

Hayden was part of CSK for first three editions. He played a crucial role in their maiden IPL title win in 2010. From 32 IPL games, he has scored 1,107 runs at an average of 36.90 and strike rate of 137.51. He has eight half-centuries in his IPL career.

Hayden’s coaching career

Hayden has had a coaching stint with Pakistan men's cricket team. For T20 World Cup 2021, he was their batting consultant. They reached the semifinal in that edition. In 2022 edition, he was Pakistan team's mentor, helping them reach the final on Australian soil.

GT's batting stocks in IPL 2026

GT roped in of Tom Banton in the mini-auction. Their top-order is already stacked with the likes of skipper Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler. They also have Glenn Phillips who can do the damage in the middle overs. After letting go of Sherfane Rutherford, their most expensive buy at the mini-auction was Jason Holder at Rs 7 crore.

Gujarat Titans squad for IPL 2026

Batters: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Kumar Kushagra, Jos Buttler, Anuj Rawat, Tom Banton.

Bowlers: Gurnoor Brar, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Kagiso Rabada, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Sai Kishore, Ashok Sharma, Prithvi Raj Yarra, Luke Wood.

All-rounders: Arshad Khan, Glenn Phillips, Nishant Sindhu, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder.