New Delhi: Liam Livingstone has slammed the England team management, saying he felt a lack of respect and communication after being dropped from the national team in 2025. The England all-rounder revealed that he has not been part of the set-up since March last year and now doubts whether he will return to the team under the current leadership.
Disappointment with England management
Livingstone said he only received a brief call from the head coach. Brendon McCullum Informing him that he has been left out of the team for the West Indies series. According to him, this conversation lasted barely a minute.“I asked why?” [I was dropped]. He said he wanted to try someone else. He was unstoppable. Righty [outgoing selector Luke Wright] Not reached, and brookie [captain Harry Brook] Sent me a text,” Livingstone told ESPNCricinfo.He also expressed his disappointment at England managing director Rob Key not contacting him after the decision.“It probably brings this group together as a collective. Casey.” [Rob Key] Didn’t say anything [He] Said I’ll talk to you in the summer. I actually called him one day, and he said he was busy at the test camp in Loughborough. And then I didn’t hear from him until the end of September,” he added.“It was an eye-opening experience about the group and the regime: if you’re in, you’re in, and if you’re not, no one cares about you. It put my mind at ease that my cricket is going to be more enjoyable going forward.”
Struggles with role in team
Livingstone also recalled seeking help from McCullum during the 2025 tour of India when he was struggling with form. However, he realized that the advice he received was not helpful.“I was asking for help, and all I got was that I care too much and I need to chill a little bit, and everything will take care of itself,” Livingstone said.“When things don’t go well, of course, you care; if I didn’t care, I probably wouldn’t want to play the game.”Another problem for him was constantly revolving around the batting order.“One of my frustrations with playing for England was that every time I went up the order, I did really well. And then the big boys would come back, and I always came back to No. 7,” he added.“At the end of the day, I don’t want to be the sixth bowler and bat at No. 7. I feel like it’s a waste of my talent, but that’s just my opinion.”
Waiting for IPL.
Livingstone, who will play for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League 2026, was not selected for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. However, he said he did not feel disappointed about missing out on the tournament.“I didn’t miss it one bit,” he said. “There was no part of me that wanted me to play on that team, to be honest.”The all-rounder now hopes that a strong IPL season can help revive his career and possibly earn him another chance with England.“Hopefully, I will have a season like I did in my first year at Punjab. [Kings, in 2022] “Where I felt I was playing really well and winning a lot of games from No. 4,” he said.[IPL] It’s a very different experience than anything else year-round. It’s a long way from home – but if you give it everything you’ve got, it can pay you back handsomely.”
