Ahead of the 2027 Indian Premier League season, Chennai Super Kings has bolstered its coaching setup by bringing in former England spinner Gareth Batty as the new assistant coach. To take up this new responsibility, he has stepped down from his role as head coach of the Surrey county club, where he spent five successful years and secured three consecutive County Championship titles. At Chennai Super Kings, he will work under the newly appointed head coach Zaheer Khan.
A Historic and Successful Tenure With Surrey
Gareth Batty took charge as Surrey head coach in 2022. He immediately led the team to the County Championship title in his very first year and successfully maintained that winning momentum through 2023 and 2024. Subsequently, his side finished as runners-up in 2025. Under his guidance, Surrey achieved the historic feat of winning three consecutive titles in the tournament for the first time in nearly 60 years.
During his five-year tenure, the 48-year-old coach guided Surrey to the knockout stages of the Vitality Blast every single year, reaching finals day on two occasions. Several players from the county side progressed to represent the England national team under his coaching. His departure brings an end to a 21-year association with Surrey. He initially played for the club from 1998 to 2001 before returning in 2010, and he also captained the side from 2015 to 2017.
Over 350 Matches Played for Surrey
As a player, Gareth Batty featured in over 350 matches for Surrey and claimed more than 500 wickets across all formats. He remains the joint-highest wicket-taker for the club in T20 cricket. On the international stage, he represented England in a total of 20 matches across all three formats. Speaking about his upcoming stint with Chennai Super Kings, Batty noted that this new journey in the IPL is extremely exciting for him and his family, and he is eagerly looking forward to its commencement.
