The stage is set for the 19th edition of the IPL (Indian Premier League) 2026. Ahead of the new season of the tournament, the 2022 champions Gujarat Titans, came forward and announced the appointment of former Australia batter Matthew Hayden as the side’s new batting coach.
One of the most dominant batters of his time, Matthew Hayden, will be joining a support staff that consists of Ashish Nehra, Vikram Solanki, and Parthiv Patel. Previously, he has worked in a coaching capacity with Pakistan, as he was the batting consultant of the men’s senior team.
After the appointment, Hayden took centre stage and talked about taking on the role. He talked about the standard that he wants to set with Gujarat Titans in the coming seasons.
"Good batting applies pressure. Great batting owns the game. That's the standard we want to set at Gujarat Titans,” Hayden said in a statement.
Vikram Solanki weighed in on Hayden’s appointment
After the announcement was made official, Gujarat Titans’ Director of Cricket, Vikram Solanki came forward and talked about the appointment of Matthew Hayden as the new batting coach of Gujarat Titans.
"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 was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
Speaking of Gujarat Titans, the Shubman Gill-led side came close to winning the title in 2025. The side finished in third place in the standings after some good performances. However, their campaign ended after five-time champions Mumbai Indians knocked them out in the eliminator of the tournament.
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