Matthew Hayden named batting coach of Gujarat Titans for IPL 2026

Gujarat Titans have appointed former Australia opener Matthew Hayden as their batting coach ahead of the IPL 2026 season. The World Cup-winning batter is expected to strengthen the franchise’s support staff and help shape the team’s batting approach.

Hyderabad: Gujarat Titans announced on Wednesday the appointment of former Australian great Matthew Hayden as the franchise’s batting coach ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season.

A Cricket World Cup winner and one of the most dominant opening batters of his era, Hayden joins the Titans set-up with an illustrious international career and expertise in modern-day T20 batting dynamics, and will strengthen the franchise’s support staff as it prepares for the 2026 season with renewed vigour.

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Commenting on the appointment, Vikram Solanki, Director of Cricket, Gujarat Titans, said: “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.”

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

Hayden represented Australia national cricket team in 273 international matches across formats, scoring over 15,000 international runs and playing a pivotal role in multiple ICC tournament victories. His aggressive yet technically robust approach to batting laid early foundations for the evolution of powerplay dominance in white-ball cricket. He also featured in 32 IPL matches, showcasing a style of play ideally suited to the league’s high-intensity demands.