England managing director Rob Key has affirmed that all-rounder Liam Livingstone remains under consideration for England selection despite his recent critical interview. Livingstone accused team management of “not caring much” about players once sidelined and criticised communication lapses as his central contract expired.
Responding after retaining his role following the Three Lions’ 1-4 Ashes series defeat to Australia, Key defended his interactions with Livingstone. “There is no way I see a player of Liam Livingstone’s ability not being up for selection for England,” Key said, acknowledging the existence of differing perspectives in private conversations.
Key added that Livingstone was considered for the upcoming limited-overs tour to Sri Lanka ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup in January. “We thought as much of him [as] to make him captain at one stage, when we didn’t have all the senior players there,” Key noted, referencing an ODI series against the West Indies in late 2024. He emphasised Livingstone’s value, stating, “there is no reason that someone at 32 years of age, their England career should be over.”
Livingstone recently arrived in India for the Indian Premier League (IPL) season, having been bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 13 crores. He will begin by facing his former franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with whom he won last season’s title.
Previously, Livingstone enjoyed a standout 2022 season with Punjab Kings, scoring 437 runs in 14 innings at an average of 36.42 and a strike rate over 182, including four fifties. However, his form has declined over the past three seasons, with 502 runs in 27 matches at an average of 22.81 and a decreasing strike rate.
In the last year for England, he managed 74 runs in five Twenty20 Internationals with a top score of 43. Despite recent struggles, his performances in English domestic competitions and The Hundred contributed to subsequent IPL interest. In the previous year, he scored 241 runs at an average of 40.16, including a fifty, and took seven wickets for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred, along with 260 runs at an average of 52 and six wickets for Lancashire in the Vitality Blast.
