Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has been named as the batting coach of the Gujarat Titans for IPL 2026. The former Australian left-hander was known for his aggressive batting style and for dominating the best bowling line-ups as an opener.
The 54-year-old commentator will share his expertise with a team that already consists of names like Ashish Nehra, Parthiv Patel and Vikram Solanki as its support staff. Hayden was also the batting consultant for the Pakistan team. Solanki, who is also the Gujarat Titans director of Cricket, stated that Hayden’s appointment is aimed at making the overall cricketing structure robust at the Gujarat Titans.
He also stated that the former left-hander’s appointment is crucial for the long-term future of the franchise. Solanki added that Hayden’s experience alongside his capability to fine-tune the skills of the upcoming talents would be crucial in refining the batting department in the future.
Hayden scored 8625 runs in 103 tests and 6133 runs in 161 ODIs during his playing career for Australia. The two-time World Cup winner for Australia played a big role in helping Australia win ICC tournaments, playing an influential role in white ball cricket for Australia.
Hayden's destructive and dominating style of play made him one of the finest match winners who brought a big change with his batting approach, especially in the 50-over format. Hayden showcased solidity with his technique and possessed the ability to adjust his technique depending on the nature of a particular wicket as well as the playing conditions.
The former Australian opener possesses vast experience of playing in IPL, where he has scored 1107 runs in 32 IPL games with a strike rate of 137.52 as a player. He was part of the Chennai Super Kings, who won the IPL trophy in 2010 and was also the highest run scorer for the franchise in the 2009 IPL season.
Hayden remarked that “Good batting applies pressure” while “Great batting owns the game” after being appointed as the Gujarat Titans batting coach, and stated that he wanted the same approach from the Gujarat Titans batting department.
Former India wicket-keeper batter Vijay Dahiya has been appointed as the assistant coach of the Gujarat Titans. Dahiya has coached Delhi and Uttar Pradesh at the domestic level. Dahiya helped Delhi win the Ranji Trophy in 2007-08.
