"Hopefully I'll be back around the IPL time so I can get back into the swing of things" - Liam Livingstone
England all-rounder Liam Livingstone hopes to overcome his recurring injury issues in time for the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL). He was part of the England side that won the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia but carried an ankle injury that he sustained during The Hundred in August 2022.
A separate knee injury during his maiden Test appearance against Pakistan in December 2022 ruled him out for the remainder of the tour. He flew back to England for rehabilitation under the supervision of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Lancashire medical teams.
It is to be noted that he has not been selected for the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa. The world champions are scheduled to tour New Zealand and Bangladesh prior to the IPL, where Livingstone hopes to feature for the Punjab Kings (PBKS).
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I’m sure one day this will sink in… 🙌🙌🙌 what a day, what a group of lads to do it with! ❤️🏴 https://t.co/cAh9aMIqqc
Referring to the course of his recovery, Livingstone told Sky Sports:
"It was incredibly disappointing to have got injured at the time, especially when it's the crunch time of a tournament. It's going to be a long few weeks building up from rehab, and hopefully I'll be back around the IPL time so I can get back into the swing of things."
Livingstone continued:
"It was disappointing [getting injured during The Hundred]. I started the tournament not great and finally got some runs at The Oval. Unfortunately, I had a bit of a freak incident and hurt my ankle."
Freak injuries have been an unfortunate recurring occurrence for the England cricket team for a while now. From Jonny Bairstow suffering a leg fracture on a golf course to Reece Topley twisting his ankle on the boundary 'Toblerone' sponges, the list is endless.
"It's a slow process at the moment" - Liam Livingstone
The English all-rounder was roped in for a whopping ₹11.50 crore at the 2022 mega auction.
After a fairly successful debut season for PBKS, where he scored 437 runs at a strike rate of 182 along with six wickets, he was retained by the franchise for the subsequent edition.
Liam Livingstone is making his Test debut today 🔥
#crickettwitter #pakvseng https://t.co/AjFZeWG9j8
Stating that he is heading in the right direction in terms of his recovery, he said:
"I am recovering from a knee injury from that one [the Pakistan tour] and was carrying an ankle problem during the World Cup. I am just trying to get those sorted, it's a slow process at the moment. I am heading in the right direction. Hopefully I'll be back in the next couple of months."
Livingstone plays a crucial role in the middle order for PBKS and offers a lot with his dual-spin bowling ability as well.
Will the all-rounder be fully fit in time for the 2023 IPL? Let us know what you think.
Also Read: Suryakumar Yadav crowned as ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year 2022