Gareth Batty steps up as Surrey's interim head coach

Gareth Batty has been named as Surrey's interim head coach for the 2022 season, in place of Vikram Solanki, who left earlier this month to take up a new role as director of cricket at the new Ahmedabad-based IPL team.

Batty, 44, retired last season after a lengthy career as an offspinner that included nine Tests for England between 2003 and 2016. He was Surrey's captain in the T20 Blast in the two seasons prior to his retirement, and had since been serving as an assistant coach from the club across all aspects of the professional squad.

He will be supported in his new role by Jim Troughton and Azhar Mahmood, who have been recruited as assistant coaches, also on an interim basis, until the end of the 2022 season.

"To be offered this opportunity is a great but very unexpected honour for me," Batty said. "After retiring last summer, I was really enjoying working under Vikram and I see this as a great chance to keep working with this group of players."

Alec Stewart, Surrey's director of cricket, added: "Losing our Head Coach and an Assistant Coach so close to the start of the season is not ideal but I have every confidence in Gareth, Jim and Azhar stepping up to the plate and passing on their vast experience and knowledge to the squad.

"Gareth knows the club inside-out and already has the respect of the dressing room which will make his transition to Interim Head Coach a seamless one.

"Jim and Azhar are both excellent additions to our coaching team and I look forward to them working with the players and being an important part of our set up this season."

Troughton, who was a former captain and head coach of Warwickshire, is joining Surrey for the first time, having worked as a batting coach with Somerset last season, while Mahmood is returning to the club where he won the County Championship, the National League and the Twenty20 Cup during his playing days.

Mahmood will be with the squad until the end of July, a period which will span the T20 Blast campaign, whereupon he will return to an existing role with the Oval Invincibles in The Hundred. He has previously served as bowling coach with Pakistan, and worked with Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans. He is currently Head Coach of Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League.

Speaking from Pakistan, where the PSL has just got underway, Mahmood said: "I'm very excited and thrilled to be back at Surrey County Cricket Club. The club is very close to my heart and I'm looking forward to working with old friends and new and a very talented and skilful squad."

Troughton added: "I have a huge amount of respect for Alec Stewart and Vikram Solanki. Both were instrumental in me making this decision to join an illustrious club such as Surrey CCC. Alec's vision for the role and the chance to work with some fantastic senior and junior players in the current set up is extremely exciting.

"Surrey have the ability to compete in all forms, possess current and potential England players and to be a part of that is a fantastic opportunity. I can't wait to get started."

Both Troughton and Mahmood will arrive at The Oval in early March, in time to play a full role in Surrey's pre-season programme. The club intends to advertise for permanent coaching roles at the end of the 2022 season.

Richard Johnson, Surrey's current assistant coach, is alo expected to leave the club after emerging as the frontrunner to fill the vacancy left by Stuart Law as Middlesex's head coach.