Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden has been appointed as the batting coach of Gujarat Titans ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League season. The franchise confirmed the appointment on Tuesday as it looks to strengthen its support staff before the upcoming campaign.

Hayden, one of Australia’s most dominant batters during his playing days, will now work with the Titans’ batting group and bring his vast international experience to the IPL franchise.

Hayden joins the Gujarat Titans support staff

Gujarat Titans have added Hayden to their coaching setup as batting coach for IPL 2026. He will work alongside head coach Ashish Nehra and director of cricket Vikram Solanki as the team prepares for the new season. The franchise believes Hayden’s presence will help sharpen the batting unit and provide valuable guidance to players in pressure situations. His experience in international cricket and T20 leagues is expected to benefit the team’s young and experienced batters alike.

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Hayden is also expected to work closely with captain Shubman Gill and the Titans’ top order to improve the team’s batting approach in the upcoming season.

Vast experience at the highest level

Hayden enjoyed a highly successful international career with Australia and was known for his aggressive batting at the top of the order. Across formats, he scored more than 15,000 international runs and played a key role in Australia’s dominance in the early 2000s. He was also part of Australia’s World Cup-winning squads in 2003 and 2007. Hayden has previous IPL experience as well, having represented Chennai Super Kings. He won the Orange Cap in 2009 as the tournament’s highest run-scorer and helped the franchise win the IPL title in 2010.

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With Hayden now part of the coaching staff, the Gujarat Titans will hope his experience and tactical insight help the team build a stronger batting lineup for IPL 2026.