England international Liam Livingstone is ‘happy to play cricket’ again after suffering knee problems

In 2022, Livingstone raced back from an ankle injury to play for England in the T20 World Cup and ended up not batting when Ben Stokes scored the winning runs in the final. He injured his right knee during his Test debut in Pakistan shortly afterwards, and has struggled to regain form and fitness since then.
Livingstone explained that he had “something under my kneecap that kept getting stuck” in the bone, but the injection went “very well” and had relieved the pain. He said: “This series, I’m really happy, I’m enjoying my cricket a bit – and being able to move my feet when I’m batting helps a lot. I feel like I’ve got a smile on my face, and that’s all that matters to me.”
As England’s designated finisher, Livingstone faced just three balls in their rain-interrupted series against Pakistan. Although he acknowledged the benefits of the group spending the last two weeks together, he admitted: “It seems like the series didn’t continue, to be honest. I feel like we just spent the whole time in a hotel room or on a bus. .”
Livingstone’s role in the middle order is volatile and fleeting: he has been to two T20 World Cups but faced just 44 balls in England’s 2022 victory in Australia, and just 29 in last year’s semi-final in the UAE . He admitted that once England arrive in the Caribbean, he will have to work hard in training to “find my rhythm”.
“The winter didn’t go the way I would have liked, but it is what it is,” he said. “Everybody’s running in their career where they’re doing things, so hopefully I’m on the other side of that. It might not be in the group stages – but hopefully when my chance comes, I can show that. I’m in a lot better shape than I was.
“It’s a different role for me. I was always batting No. 3, 4, 5, and even higher in the order when I first came in. You have to manage expectations and realize that actually, when the time comes, I will have a chance – at some point, at some point – to win the -England cricket game I hope that when that time comes, I will be ready to take it.”
Given the limitations of his batting role, Livingstone’s biggest contribution to the Caribbean may come with the ball as one of England’s four spin options, alongside Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali and Will Jacks. He underlined his importance on Thursday night, combining legspin and offbreaks to take 2 for 17 in three overs – including a rare double-wicket maiden on 15.
“I love to come back to play for England because Jos [Buttler] and Mothi [Matthew Mott] I really trusted my bowling, which a lot of people do in different tournaments,” he said. “It’s a tough role to hit at No. 7: I’ve faced three balls in this series and I might not face a ball until we get out there again.” re 60 for 5, so I have to try to contribute in a different way.
“[It’s about] being able to do that with the ball and anything on the field. I have to keep improving as a cricketer and of course, being able to bowl is part of that. I think that’s the good thing about being able to contribute in all three aspects of the game: whenever you’re called upon, you get a chance.”
England travel to Barbados on Friday morning ahead of their group stage opener against Scotland next Tuesday. “We feel like we have all the basics in place,” Livingstone said. “The team is in a very good place. I think we are in a better place than we were six months ago, which is very exciting for all of us… the boys are looking forward to going forward.”
Matt Roller is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @mroller98
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