Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden appointed as the batting coach of the Gujarat Titans ahead of the forthcoming IPL 2026 season, the franchise confirmed on Tuesday.
Hayden takes over from who will continue in a role as the assistant coach of the franchise heading into their fourth season in the tournament. This will be the Australian batting legendโs first high-profile coaching stint in the , having previously worked as a broadcaster in the league. Shortly after his retirement, Hayden had featured in three seasons in the IPL between 2008 and 2010, representing .
Hayden has previously worked as a coach with Pakistan during the 2021 T20 World Cup. A year later, he mentored the Pakistan side that went onto play the final of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
Powerhouse. Legend. Now our Batting Coach ๐ช
Saying ‘๐๐ฎ๐-๐๐ผ๐t’ to ๐
โ (@gujarat_titans)
He amassed 1107 runs in 32 matches and was part of โs first IPL triumph in 2010. Hayden featured for Australia in 273 international matches across formats, aggregating over 15,000 international runs and being part of multiple ICC title victories.
โMatthewโs 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,โ director of cricket Vikram Solanki said.
โHis 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,โ he added.
The Titans had finished fourth last season, losing out to in the Eliminator in 2025.
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