Liam Livingstone is scoring freely in the Men’s Hundred – he sits top of the run chart for Birmingham Phoenix – but, oddly enough, he still has no idea if England want him back in their colours.
The 32-year-old has not featured for the national side since March’s Champions Trophy exit. A quick IPL stint with Royal Challengers Bengaluru yielded the trophy but only 112 runs from eight knocks, and while that haul did little for his case, his Hundred returns have reminded everyone how destructive he can be. England’s selectors, though, have remained silent.
“Obviously I didn’t have a great series in India and Pakistan and I hold my hands up: I wasn’t good enough out there. But I probably wasn’t the only one,” Livingstone told talkSPORT’s Following On podcast. “I don’t know where I stand with England, to be honest. The frustrating part for me is I feel like I’ve got my best cricket ahead of me.”
That absence of communication seems to rankle more than the axe itself. The all-rounder said his last contact from the hierarchy came during the IPL, when Brendon McCullum rang to confirm he had been omitted from June’s West Indies tour. Since then—nothing from McCullum, Rob Key, Luke Wright or limited-overs skipper Harry Brook.
“I absolutely love playing for England… Nothing makes me prouder than being able to represent my country,” he continued. “At my age now, I feel like this is where people start to really come into their prime as a batter. You look at Jos [Buttler] over the last few years and I feel like, coming into a [T20] World Cup year, I could really help an England team go a long way to winning a World Cup.”
Livingstone accepts his white-ball numbers have fluctuated. England have mostly posted him as a finisher – No. 6 or even 7 at times – expecting instant six-hitting. Yet the evidence suggests he thrives slightly higher. In T20 internationals his best strike-rate and average sit at No. 4; in ODIs his match-winning 124* against West Indies was compiled from No. 5.
“That’s probably been one of my biggest frustrations,” he admitted. “Whenever I’ve gone up the order, I’ve actually done really well for England. Maybe my versatility has probably been against me a little bit: being able to come in further down the order and hit sixes from ball one is obviously not something that a lot of people can do.”
Competition is fierce. Will Jacks, Phil Salt and Ben Duckett have all had recent chances, and England still view Sam Curran’s all-round package as non-negotiable at seven. Throw in the centrally contracted core – Buttler, Brook, Moeen Ali – and there is barely a spare chair.
Even so, Livingstone’s hybrid skills remain rare. His off-spin/leg-spin mix offers a captain two match-ups without burning an extra bowler, and his fielding is tidy. As one county analyst put it this week, “If roles were allocated purely on skill-sets, he’s on the plane every time.” Selection panels, of course, weigh form, balance and, sometimes, gut feel.
“That’s probably the frustrating thing for me: I would love to help. I would love to play for England. I feel like I’m still good enough to play for England. But I haven’t had a single word since halfway through the IPL, so I don’t really know where I stand, to be honest… I probably feel like right now, I’m playing as well as I ever have done in my whole career,” Livingstone added.
His ECB central contract expires in the autumn. England must soon decide whether to renew, downgrade or let it lapse. A full white-ball calendar looms: South Africa, Ireland, then a World T20 in India next February. With only a few training camps and series before the squad is locked, clarity is needed.
Former England coach Andy Flower sympathised on Sky Sports: “You can’t keep everyone in the loop every week, but a two-minute call now and then helps. Players want honesty; it needn’t be complicated.”
Livingstone, for now, keeps scoring. He will lead Phoenix again on Friday night at Edgbaston, probably aiming at the Hollies Stand from ball one. Whether that is enough to prompt a selector’s ringtone is anyone’s guess.
“I feel like I’m a batter that can go on and win games for whoever I’m playing for, not necessarily a slogg,” Livingstone said, the sentence hanging mid-thought, just as his England future does.
