In a landmark move ahead of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 season, England cricketer Sarah Taylor has been appointed as the new fielding coach of Gujarat Giants. Widely regarded as one of the finest wicketkeepers in cricket history, Taylor’s first WPL gig signals the franchise’s intent to raise standards after inconsistent previous campaigns.
Taylor, who joins an already experienced backroom staff that includes head coach Michael Klinger, bowling coach Pravin Tambe and analyst Saurabh Walkar, is expected to bring a fresh tactical outlook, strong emphasis on fielding, and a calm, modern approach to man-management. The appointment also continues the growing trend of women’s cricket icons transitioning into high-profile coaching roles within franchise T20 leagues around the world.
Taylor enjoyed a glittering international career for England spanning nearly 13 years, during which she played 226 matches across formats and scored over 6,500 runs. Sarah built an outstanding international batting record for England, scoring 300 runs in 17 innings in Women’s Tests, 4,056 runs in 119 innings in Women’s ODIs, and 2,177 runs in 87 innings in Women’s T20Is, numbers that highlight both her longevity and her consistent run-making across all three formats.
Beyond her batting, she earned global admiration for her technical excellence behind the stumps, athleticism, and lightning-fast reflexes. At the time of her retirement in 2019, she ranked third in all-time international stumpings, behind only MS Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara, underlining her stature in world cricket. Her contributions to the game were formally recognised when she was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2025.
Since stepping away from international cricket, Taylor has carved out a significant coaching resume. She broke barriers by becoming the first woman specialist coach in senior English men’s county cricket with Sussex and has also worked with the England Lions and other professional environments. Her ability to mentor players across genders and formats has been widely praised, and that experience now comes into the high-pressure, high-intensity world of the WPL.
For Gujarat Giants, Taylor’s arrival as fielding coach will bring a sharper focus on fielding and tactical awareness, crucial aspects in the T20 format where small margins often decide matches. Her background as an elite wicketkeeper gives her a unique perspective on angles, anticipation, and game reading, qualities that can transform a side’s defensive standards.
The Giants, led on the field by star all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, showed flashes of potential in previous seasons but lacked consistency at key moments. With Taylor at the helm, the franchise will be aiming to build a more settled, confident unit that can close out tight games and challenge seriously for the WPL title in 2026.
Taylor’s presence is also likely to have a major impact on the younger Indian players in the squad, many of whom would have grown up watching her redefine standards of wicket-keeping and fielding in the women’s game. Her appointment as the fielding coach not only strengthens Gujarat Giants’ cricketing setup but also reinforces the WLP’s status as a premier platform attracting some of the biggest names and brightest minds in world cricket.
The Gujarat Giants will begin their WPL 2026 campaign on Saturday, January 10, when they face the UP Warriorz at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.
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