Matthew Hayden won Orange Cap for CSK in IPL 2010. Credits - afp.com
After 18 seasons, the Indian Premier League has created countless fond memories for its fans. From Rahul Dravid throwing his floppy hat to Matthew Hayden hitting towering sixers with his Mongoose bat, the league has been getting better season after season.
Matthew Hayden was a part of the Chennai Super Kings during the first three editions, including the title-winning season in 2010. Meanwhile, he ended the IPL 2009 as the Orange Cap winner with 572 runs at a strike rate of 144.81.
During his IPL days, Hayden made Mongoose cool when he used to shovel the cricket ball using his marvellous reach. Fast-forward to 2026, CSK's Hall of Fame Icon has been contracted by the Gujarat Titans to be the batting coach of the rival IPL side.
Hayden picks Rahul Tewatia as successor
Ahead of the IPL 2026, the former CSK great has revealed who will be the best candidate to be the successor to be handed the Mongoose bat. Hayden picked Rahul Tewatia as the successor.
"If I had to hand my Mongoose bat to someone from GT, it'd have to be Rahul Tewatia. He has the power. He does a very good job with the long bat," Matthew Hayden spoke during an event hosted by GT.
Hayden also talked about the minute margins that can manipulate a result in T20s.
"The margins in T20 cricket is five runs, 10 runs and to have that power at the backend and frontend is good. You will get it, mate," the GT batting coach added.
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When Rahul Tewatia hit five sixes in an over!
Known for his finishing skills, Rahul Tewatia hogged the limelight when he spanked five sixes off a Sheldon Cottrell over during a clash between Rajasthan and Punjab in IPL 2020. Since then, the batting all-rounder has played countless blitzes for both RR and GT.
Overall, Tewatia has played 108 games in the IPL, where he has slammed 1112 runs at a strike rate of nearly 140, along with his 32 wickets in the tournament. However, the Haryana all-rounder saw a dip in form last season, where he could only score 99 runs in 15 matches, hitting just four sixes in the season.
Rahul Tewatia's form ahead of IPL 2026
In the build-up to the IPL 2026, the 32-year-old Rahul Tewatia had a below-par run in the 2025-2026 Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he scored 69 runs and averaged 11.50 after six innings.
Although Tewatia is going to be a crucial pick for the one-time champions, they have the likes of Nishant Sindhu, Anuj Rawat and Kumar Kushagra as perfect replacements for the experienced all-rounder.
Nevertheless, GT will play their first game of the season against Punjab Kings on March 31 in New Chandigarh.
Gujarat Titans Squad for IPL 2026: Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Kumar Kushagra (wk), Anuj Rawat, Tom Banton, Glenn Phillips, Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Arshad Khan, Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, Jason Holder, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Sharma, Prithvi Raj Yarra, Luke Wood, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan
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