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Hayden to Gift Iconic Mongoose Bat to GT's Power-Hitter Rahul Tewatia

Gujarat Titans batting coach Matthew Hayden announced he will pass on his iconic Mongoose bat to finisher Rahul Tewatia, recognizing his power-hitting prowess. Hayden reflected on the bat's design benefits and his own explosive 93-run innings with it in 2010. Meanwhile, GT's Glenn Phillips shared his unique perspective, stating easy catches worry him more than difficult ones. The announcements came during the franchise's Shubharambh 2026 event, which also unveiled the full squad for the upcoming season.

Key Points: Hayden to Give Mongoose Bat to Tewatia | GT IPL 2026

  • Hayden's iconic Mongoose bat enhances bat speed and power
  • Tewatia praised as GT's designated finisher
  • Glenn Phillips discusses his mindset on catching
  • GT's full squad for IPL 2026 revealed at Shubharambh event
2 min read

GT batting coach Hayden: "Will hand over my Mongoose bat to Tewatia, he has the power"

Matthew Hayden will hand his famous Mongoose bat to Gujarat Titans finisher Rahul Tewatia, praising his power-hitting abilities ahead of IPL 2026.

GT batting coach Hayden: "Will hand over my Mongoose bat to Tewatia, he has the power"
"If I had to hand my Mongoose bat to someone from GT, it'd have to be Rahul Tewatia. He has the power. - Matthew Hayden"

Ahmedabad, March 24

Gujarat Titans batting coach Matthew Hayden said that he will pass on his iconic Mongoose bat to the team's finisher Rahul Tewatia, noting his abilities as a power-hitter.

Hayden was speaking at the Shubharambh 2026, a landmark evening in Ahmedabad that brought together the full squad, franchise owners, partners, and fans on Monday. The Aussie icon is known for batting with a Mongoose bat, which features a longer handle and a shorter blade, which increases bat speed, shot power. Also, a thick, extended sweet spot with thick edges makes it absolutely valuable while batting in T20s.

During one of his innings with this bat, Hayden clobbered 93 in just 43 balls against Delhi Capitals (then known as Delhi Daredevils) back in the 2010 edition. His knock consisted of nine fours and seven sixes.

Speaking during the event, Hayden said, "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. 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."

In four seasons with GT as a finisher, Tewatia has batted mostly down the order, scoring 591 runs in 43 innings at an average of 22.73, with strike rate of over 150 and best score of 43*.

Also, Glenn Phillips, the dynamic New Zealand cricketer known for taking absolutely sensational catches on the field, says that it is the easy catches that worry him.

"I am worried when an easy catch comes my way. Hard catches I know I will take, but easy catch, oh I am worried," Phillips said.

Gujarat Titans full squad for IPL 2026: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Anuj Rawat, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Kumar Kushagra, Manav Suthar, Arshad Khan, Nishant Sindhu, Luke Wood (Rs 75 lakh) Prithvi Raj Yarra (Rs 30 lakh), Tom Banton (Rs 2 crore), Jason Holder (Rs 7 crore), Ashok Sharma (Rs 90 lakh).

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Interesting choice. While Tewatia is a great finisher, his average is only 22. I feel someone like Shubman Gill at the top could use that bat speed to maximize the powerplay. But Hayden knows best, I guess!
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Vikram M
The Mongoose bat is iconic! Hayden's 93 in 43 balls was pure carnage. If Tewatia can replicate even half of that impact in the death overs, GT's batting will be terrifying. The squad looks strong on paper for 2026.
S
Sarah B
Love the mentorship vibe here. An Aussie legend recognizing the talent in a young Indian finisher. That's what the IPL is all about. Also, Glenn Phillips' comment about easy catches is so relatable! The pressure is real.
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Rohit P
Bhai, Tewatia with a Mongoose? That's a scary thought for bowlers in the 19th over! His strike rate is already over 150. This could be the secret weapon GT needs. Can't wait for the season to start. 💪
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Karthik V
Respectfully, I think this is more of a symbolic gesture. The modern bats are already so powerful. The real challenge for Tewatia will be consistency and finishing games under pressure, not the bat. But the confidence boost from Hayden is priceless.

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