Gareth Batty will join Chennai Super Kings as an assistant coach from the 2027 Indian Premier League season, leaving Surrey after five years as head coach during which he led the county to three consecutive County Championship titles. He will work under newly appointed CSK head coach Zaheer Khan. Batty, who took charge of Surrey as head coach in 2022, guided them to the County Championship title in his first season before overseeing successful title defences in 2023 and 2024. Surrey finished runners-up in 2025, capping a dominant run in which they became the first team in nearly 60 years to win three consecutive titles in the competition. The 48-year-old also guided Surrey to the knockout stages of the Vitality Blast in each of his five seasons in charge, including two appearances at Finals Day. His tenure saw several players from the county’s first team progress to the England set-up. Batty’s departure brings an end to a 21-year association with Surrey, having first played for the club between 1998 and 2001 before returning in 2010. He captained the side from 2015 to 2017 and, after retiring from playing in 2021, immediately joined the coaching staff before taking over as head coach a year later. As a player, Batty represented Surrey more than 350 times, claiming over 500 wickets across formats. He is also the club’s joint-highest wicket-taker in T20 cricket. At the international level, he represented England 20 times across all three formats. Speaking about his move to CSK, Batty said: “The new journey is a very exciting one for my family and I with CSK in the IPL and I’m looking forward to getting going.” Batty also thanked Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart for his support throughout his time at the club, describing his departure as the beginning of a new chapter. Stewart paid tribute to Batty’s contribution as both a player and coach, highlighting his role in one of the most successful periods in Surrey’s history. “Taking on the role of Head Coach is never straightforward, particularly at a Club with the expectations and traditions of Surrey. Gareth embraced that challenge, and his achievement in leading the side to three consecutive County Championship titles is a reflection of his hard work, his understanding of the players and his fierce will to win,” Stewart said. While expressing disappointment at Batty’s departure, Stewart acknowledged the appeal of the opportunity at CSK, adding that it would also allow him to spend more time with his family outside the IPL season. Batty’s first objective will be to assist with CSK’s retentions ahead of the November 15 deadline. He will then have to plan the five-time champions’ strategy for the mini auction, scheduled to be held in Goa in mid December.
