IPL 2027: Who is Gareth Batty, CSK’s new assistant coach under Zaheer Khan?

Chennai Super Kings are set to bring in a coach with a wealth of experience in English domestic cricket as Gareth Batty joins the five-time IPL champions as assistant coach for the 2027 Indian Premier League season. Batty will leave Surrey after leading the club to three consecutive County Championship titles, ending a 21-year association with the south London side.

Batty took over at Surrey in 2022 and led them to the County Championship in his first season. The team retained the trophy in 2023 and completed the hat-trick in 2024, becoming the first team in almost 60 years to win the competition three times in a row. Surrey finished second in 2025.

His move to CSK marks a new chapter in a career spent largely in English county cricket, first as a player and later as a coach. But Batty also has international experience, having represented England in all three formats.

WHO IS GARETH BATTY?

Born in Bradford, Yorkshire on 13 October 1977, Batty is a right-arm off-spinner who has built a reputation as a reliable player in county cricket. He began his professional career in Yorkshire before moving to Surrey where he played from 1998 to 2001. He later represented Worcestershire before returning to Surrey in 2009.

Batty played more than 700 professional matches during a career that spanned 24 years. He took over 1,000 wickets across formats and scored more than 10,000 runs, underscoring his abilities as a lower-order batsman as well as a bowler.

At Surrey, he took more than 500 wickets across formats, becoming the club’s highest wicket-taker in T20 cricket. He also captained the team from 2015 to 2017 before retiring in 2021 and moving into coaching.

BATTY AS AN ENGLAND INTERNATIONAL

Batty played 20 international matches for England between 2002 and 2016, including nine Tests, 10 One Day Internationals and one T20 International. His international career was interrupted by long spells away from the national side, but he earned a surprise return to Test cricket at the age of 39 during England’s tour of Bangladesh and India in 2016.

He made his Test debut against Bangladesh in Dhaka in October 2003. His early years with the team also included England’s tour of Sri Lanka, where his batting helped the team save the subsequent Tests in Galle and Kandy.

However, Batty struggled to find opportunities in a period when England had few established spin options. He was dropped after the 2004 tour of the West Indies, which included the Antigua Test in which Brian Lara scored an unbeaten 400.

His return to the Test side came more than a decade later. He was recalled by England for the 2016 tour of the subcontinent and featured in Tests against Bangladesh and India. His last Test appearance came against India in Mohali in November 2016.

In nine Tests, Batty took 15 wickets, with best innings figures of 3 for 55. He scored 149 runs with a highest score of 38.

His ODI career began against Australia in Sydney in December 2002. He played 10 ODIs and took five wickets. His only T20 International came against West Indies in March 2009 when he finished with figures of 0 for 17.

Batty’s international record was modest compared to his achievements in county cricket, where he enjoyed a much longer and more successful career. He was particularly effective in the longer format, taking 682 wickets in first-class cricket.

FROM SURREY CAPTAIN TO WINNING TRAINER TITLE

Batty’s leadership experience proved valuable when he moved into coaching. Retiring at the end of the 2021 season, he joined the Surrey coaching staff before being appointed head coach in 2022.

The results came quickly. Surrey won the County Championship in his first season in charge and went on to defend the title in 2023 and 2024. The team also reached the knockout stages of the Vitality Blast in each of his five seasons as head coach, including two Finals Day appearances.

His work has also included helping Surrey players progress towards international cricket, making player development an important part of his coaching record.

Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart praised Batty’s dedication to the club and said his success as head coach reflected his understanding of the players, hard work and determination to win.

Meanwhile, Batty described his move to CSK as an exciting opportunity for his family and thanked Surrey for the role they played during his career.

“The new journey is very exciting for my family and me with CSK in the IPL and I am looking forward to going,” he said.

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