After being banished from international cricket, Liam Livingstone attacked the England authorities, claiming that “no one cares about you” when you are dropped.
Despite having exactly 100 caps for his nation in all three formats, the Lancashire all-rounder hasn’t played in more than a year.
The 32-year-old was extremely critical of England director of cricket Rob Key’s handling of him in an interview with ESPNCricinfo.
He added that attending the Champions Trophy last year was “the worst experience I’ve had playing cricket” and that he did not regret playing in the recent T20 World Cup.
Following the 1-4 humiliation in Australia, the England and Wales Cricket Board is still reviewing “tour planning and preparation, individual performance and behaviours” in the Ashes.
Reflecting on a lack of communication following his brief phone conversation with England coach Brendon McCullum in May, Livingstone stated: “I don’t think it would have reached a minute. I asked why; they said they wanted to try someone else. That was off Baz (McCullum). Brooky (captain Harry Brook) sent me a text. Keysy said nothing, (he) said ‘I’ll speak to you in the summer’. I actually rang him one day, and he said he was busy at a Test camp at Loughborough and then I didn’t hear off him until the end of September. That probably sums that group up as a collective. That was a bit of an eye-opening experience about the group and the regime: if you’re in, you’re in, and if you’re not in, no-one cares about you.”
Livingstone, who has a IPL deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad and bid from London Spirit at last week’s Hundred auction, insisted: “I still believe I’m one of the best players in white-ball cricket in England. Just because I’m not playing for England, because of a couple of people’s opinions, it doesn’t mean that I’m not good enough to do it.”
Regarding his absence from the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka and India, where Will Jacks excelled in Livingstone’s previous position as a hard-hitting batsman and spinner, he stated: “I didn’t miss it one bit. There wasn’t any part of me that was wishing I was playing in that team, to be honest.”
