Liam Livingstone is determined to prove himself as an “asset to any cricket team” after a prolonged period of injuries and struggles with form and fitness. The 31-year-old all-rounder has recently turned a corner fitness-wise and is feeling pain-free, which has given him a new lease of life. He believes that if he can get back to his best, he can be an asset to any team he plays for.
Livingstone’s journey to recovery has been a long and arduous one. He rushed back from ankle ligament damage to feature in England’s 2022 T20 World Cup triumph, only to injure his knee just a few weeks later in his lone Test appearance in Pakistan. Since then, he has struggled with form and fitness, which has contributed to his exclusion from England’s ODI set-up.
However, Livingstone is now feeling more confident than ever. He has been working hard to get his body right, and it appears to be paying off. In the series opener against Australia, he claimed three wickets and made 37 off 27 balls, hinting at better times to come.
“I feel like a little kid again, I feel like I’m starting a new career to be honest,” Livingstone said. “Life with niggles is not very fun. I can run around 100 per cent in the field and I can bowl and bat to the best of my ability, which is something I probably haven’t been able to do for two-and-a-half years.”
Livingstone is currently focusing on the T20 format and is hoping to make a strong impression in the series against Australia. He has been promoted to bat at number four, which he sees as an opportunity to stake his claim and try to win games for England. He believes that winning games in T20 cricket can enhance his chances of getting back into the ODI team.
“I don’t think you’ll see anybody that wants to bat lower down the order,” he said. “There’s less people that can play that role and sometimes you’ve got to take it on the chin. Series like these where you get an opportunity further up the order, it’s a chance for me to stake my claim. I want to try and win games of cricket for England and I think the higher up the order, the more chance you have of doing that.”
Livingstone was one of only four players aged 30-plus in the XI at Southampton, and he is aware that the team is looking to usher in a new white-ball era. However, he is happy to watch over the newcomers and help them adjust to the international stage.
“It feels weird, but I feel really old in this team so I’ve got to give the younger boys a bit more of a steer, take a bit of pressure off them,” Livingstone added. “The challenge now for us as a group is to get up to speed as quickly as we can and not use that changing of the guard as an excuse to take a while to get up to speed.”
Livingstone’s hopes of a recall to the ODI squad appear to hinge on him being a standout in T20s, and he is determined to make a positive impact in the series against Australia. He believes that if he can get back to his best, he can be an asset to any team he plays for, and he is excited to see what the future holds.
“I’m back playing cricket with a smile on my face, that’s when I play at my best,” Livingstone said. “Fingers crossed it stays that way for a while.”
Livingstone was one of the senior players in the team, and he is aware of the responsibility that comes with that. He believes that the team needs to get up to speed quickly and not use the changing of the guard as an excuse for poor results.
“I think we’ve got a good group of lads, we’ve just got to gel together and start winning games,” he said. “We can’t use the excuse of being a new team, we’ve got to take responsibility and start winning games. I think we’ve got the talent, we’ve just got to start performing.”
Livingstone is also aware of the importance of winning games in T20 cricket. He believes that winning games in this format can enhance his chances of getting back into the ODI team.
“I think winning games in T20 cricket is massive for me,” he said. “It’s a format that I enjoy playing, and if I can start winning games in this format, it will give me a lot of confidence going into the ODI team. I think it’s a format that suits me, and if I can start performing well in it, it will give me a lot of opportunities.”
Livingstone is also aware of the importance of being adaptable in cricket. He believes that being able to adapt to different situations and formats is key to success in the game.
“I think adaptability is key in cricket,” he said. “You’ve got to be able to adapt to different situations and formats, and I think that’s something that I’ve worked on a lot. I’ve had to adapt to different roles and different formats, and I think that’s helped me to become a better cricketer.”
Livingstone is also aware of the importance of having a good support network. He believes that having a good support network is key to success in the game.
“I think having a good support network is massive,” he said. “You’ve got to have people around you who believe in you and who can help you to improve. I’ve been lucky enough to have a good support network, and I think that’s helped me to get to where I am today.”
Livingstone is also aware of the importance of staying focused and motivated. He believes that staying focused and motivated is key to success in the game.
“I think staying focused and motivated is key,” he said. “You’ve got to stay focused on your goals and motivated to achieve them. I think that’s something that I’ve worked on a lot, and I think it’s helped me to become a better cricketer.”
In conclusion, Liam Livingstone is determined to prove himself as an “asset to any cricket team” after a prolonged period of injuries and struggles with form and fitness. He believes that if he can get back to his best, he can be an asset to any team he plays for.