Livingstone aims for consistency in new T20I batting role for England
Liam Livingstone moved up the batting order in the first T20I against Australia and is relishing the chance to take on this new role with enthusiasm.
In England's first T20I loss to Australia in Southampton, Liam Livingstone was one of the standout performers. Batting at No. 4, he top-scored for England with 37 runs off 27 balls in their pursuit of 180.
Earlier, the 31-year-old made a significant impact with the ball, taking three crucial wickets to prevent Australia from posting an even bigger total.
Typically known for his role as a lower-order finisher, Livingstone embraced the new challenge of batting higher up the order and is eager to solidify his place in this new position moving forward.
"It's up to me to make sure I try to do as well as I can and give them a bit of a headache for the next series," Livingstone said. "I don't think you'll see anybody that wants to bat lower down the order.
// Watch Livingstone goes on a rampage against South Africa at 2021 Men's T20 World Cup //
"I want that responsibility. I want to try to win games of cricket for England, and the higher up the order, the more chance you have of doing that. There's less people that can play that role [at No. 6] and sometimes you've got to take it on the chin… [but] this is a chance for me to stake my claim."
Livingstone also views his strong performances in T20Is as a pathway to reclaiming his spot in England's ODI squad. He was notably left out when England announced their squad for the upcoming five-match ODI series against Australia, set to begin on Thursday, 19 September.
Since their disappointing exit from the 2023 Men’s 50-over World Cup, where the defending champions managed only two wins and failed to progress past the group stages, England have played just one ODI series.
Match highlights as Afghanistan win their second-ever ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match with a shock victory over England in the 2023 edition
Livingstone was a part of the team in that series against the West Indies, contributing 62 runs across two innings and taking four wickets. However, as of now, he remains on the fringes of the ODI setup ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy.
"I don't really know - that's one of my challenges," Livingstone said talking about an ODI comeback. "That's why I'm happy that I've got an opportunity to bat up the order [in the T20Is]. I feel like I've shown over the last couple of weeks, maybe a month, that the longer I get to bat in games, the more of a chance I have to affect games.
"I feel like I've done that in 50-over cricket as well: if you take away the World Cup, I feel like I'd done that further down the order. But it is what it is: I'm 31, I'm not going to sit here and cry about not being picked. There's plenty of cricket to be played around the world, and if I'm not involved in the ODI stuff then there's plenty more opportunities.
"I want to play as much cricket for England as I possibly can. Unfortunately, I won't be playing in the ODIs but it's still not something I'm giving up on. I've had a difficult couple of years. My body has probably let me down a little bit, and maybe I haven't been up to scratch physically, with a couple of niggles here and there."
Livingstone will be eager to capitalise on his opportunity to bat higher up the order in the next two T20Is against Australia, scheduled for 13 and 15 September.