Former England spinner and Surrey head coach Gareth Batty is reportedly set to join Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as part of the coaching staff under Zaheer Khan ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. According to The Times of India, Batty is expected to take up the role of batting coach, although the appointment has not yet been officially confirmed.

The report quoted CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan as saying that an announcement regarding the appointment would be made soon. However, Batty’s background as an off-spinner raises questions about whether he will replace Michael Hussey as CSK’s batting coach or whether the franchise plans to bring in additional coaching support. News18 stated that it could not independently verify the report.

Batty reportedly shares a strong relationship with Zaheer Khan, having played alongside the former India fast bowler at Worcestershire. Their previous association could help explain the move as CSK look to strengthen their coaching setup.

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Gareth Batty has enjoyed a long career in English cricket, establishing himself as a competitive off-spinner before moving into coaching. Born in Bradford, he represented Yorkshire, Worcestershire and Surrey during his domestic career. He also played nine Tests and 10 ODIs for England.

Gareth Batty is likely to join CSK support staff. Negotiations underway and an announcement likely in next couple of days. Another Zaheer Khan pick.

https://t.co/XdJVCG2YIh

— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) October 26, 2026

One of the most unusual moments of his international career came in 2016, when he earned a surprise Test recall for tours of Bangladesh and India at the age of 39, more than 11 years after his previous appearance. In first-class cricket, Batty featured in 261 matches, taking 682 wickets and scoring 7,399 runs as a lower-order batter.

His coaching career gained momentum after he retired from playing. Batty initially worked as an assistant coach at Surrey before being appointed interim head coach in 2022. He quickly made an impact by guiding the county to the County Championship title that season.

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Following that success, Surrey appointed him permanent head coach in November 2022. His leadership helped the club secure two additional County Championship titles, while former director of cricket Alec Stewart praised his knowledge, work ethic and passion for the game. If confirmed, Batty’s reported appointment would mark another significant step in his coaching career, bringing his extensive domestic cricket experience to the CSK setup.