Gujarat Titans (GT), captained by Shubman Gill, has made changes in its coaching staff just weeks before the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden has been officially appointed as the new batting coach of the young team to guide them this year.
The Ahmedabad-based franchise finished in eighth place in 2024. However, the one-time IPL title winners made a good comeback in the 2025 season. The team had finished its previous campaign at third place in the table. They won nine and suffered four defeats, while one was no result.
Vikram Solanki welcomes Matthew Hayden to the franchise
Gujarat Titans Director of Cricket Vikram Solanki welcomed Matthew Hayden as their new batting coach. Solanki said his ability to mentor emerging talent will benefit the franchise.
“Matthew’s appointment comes at an important stage in our journey. As a franchise committed to excellence and long-term success, we are continuously focused on strengthening our cricket ecosystem,” Solanki was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
“His experience at the highest level, coupled with his ability to mentor emerging talent, will play a vital role in shaping our batting identity for the coming season.”
This is the standard we want to set at Gujarat Titans – Matthew Hayden
Matthew Hayden represented Australia in 273 international matches across all formats, and scored over 15,000 runs. Following his appointment, the veteran revealed his adventurous mindset and setting high standards for the players.
Hayden said, “Good batting puts pressure. Great batting is what takes the game forward. This is the standard we want to set at Gujarat Titans.”
The former left-handed batsman also took part in 32 IPL matches during his playing days. Hayden scored 1107 runs in 32 matches at an average of 36.9 and a strike rate of 137.52, including eight half-centuries with a best score of 93.
Gujarat Titans are preparing for IPL 2026 season
The upcoming IPL 2026 season is expected to take place from March to May across various prestigious venues in India. However, the official match schedule has not yet been fully released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL Governing Council.
Gaines is eagerly waiting for the full fixtures to be played to see when Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans play their first game. Matthew Hayden adds international experience and confidence to the coaching setup.
Working with Titans head coach Ashish Nehra, the Australian legend will focus on developing attacking intent. The Ahmedabad team management hopes that his fearless winning mentality will inspire a lot of young players this year.
The franchise recently hosted a special training camp in Nathdwara to ensure that each player is fully prepared for this tough tournament. The dedicated management is leaving no stone unturned to achieve their second trophy.
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