Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 10 (ANI): Gujarat Titans on Tuesday announced the appointment of former Australian great Matthew Hayden as the franchise's batting coach ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, a release said.

A World Cup winner and one of the most dominant opening batters of his era, Hayden joins the Titans setup with an illustrious international career and expertise in modern-day T20 batting dynamics and will strengthen the franchise's support staff as it prepares for the 2026 season with renewed vigour.

Commenting on the appointment, Vikram Solanki, Director of Cricket, Gujarat Titans, said: '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.'

Commenting on his appointment, Hayden said: 'Good batting applies pressure. Great batting owns the game. That's the standard we want to set at Gujarat Titans.'

Hayden represented Australia in 272 international matches across formats, scoring 15,064 runs at an average of 47.82, with 40 centuries and 69 fifties. His best score is 380. He was also the top run-getter in the 2007 T20 World Cup edition with 265 runs in six innings at an average of 88.33, with a strike rate of 144.80 and four fifties. In nine T20Is, he made 308 runs at an average of 51.33 and a strike rate of 143.92, with four fifties.

His aggressive yet technically robust approach to batting laid early foundations for the evolution of powerplay dominance in white-ball cricket. He also featured in 32 IPL matches, showcasing a style of play ideally suited to the league's high-intensity demands, scoring 1,107 runs in 32 innings at an average of 36.90, with eight fifties and a best score of 93 and a strike rate of over 137. (ANI)