'It will be a good test ahead of the World Cup' - Liam Livingstone on India T20Is
England all-rounder Liam Livingstone has opined the upcoming series against India will be a good test for the visitors before the ICC T20 World Cup later this year.
Since India will play host to the global event in 2021, Livingstone felt the England cricket team could gain some valuable experience in Indian conditions during the five T20Is.
Liam Livingstone has not played international cricket since June 2017. His last T20I appearance for England came in a game against South Africa in Cardiff. The selectors named him in the squad for the India T20Is because of his incredible performances in the T20 leagues.
Speaking of his T20 experience and how the upcoming T20Is will help the England cricket team, Liam Livingstone told reporters:
"We have got a pretty full strength side against the best team in the world. It will be a good test ahead of the World Cup. I have spent time in the IPL, two Big Bashes as well as Pakistan Super League. Playing with different players around the world, how they go about their stuff is quite an experience. Franchise cricket is a great way to learn."
The England cricket team suffered a 1-3 loss in the recently-concluded Test series against India. Liam Livingstone did not play in the Tests, but he could be a game-changer for the visitors in the five-match T20I series.
In the 2020/21 BBL season, Livingstone scored 426 runs and scalped five wickets for the Perth Scorchers.
For the first time in my career I feel like I belong in this environment: Liam Livingstone
Liam Livingstone has played two T20Is for England, scoring 16 runs at a strike rate of less than 85. He could not cement his place in the squad after receiving his maiden international cap in June 2017. Speaking about his improvement since then, Livingstone added:
"I am a very different player and a very different person since then (2017). The experience that you get by playing franchise cricket around the world is pretty valuable when you come back to playing international cricket. For the first time in my career I feel like I belong in this environment. I was pretty immature back then. I am back to enjoying my cricket."
Liam Livingstone played four matches for the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2019, where he scored 70 runs at a 145+ strike rate. It will be intriguing to see how he performs in the T20Is against India.