DIFFERENT STOKES
LIAM LIVINGSTONE is one of the world’s most exciting white-ball stars – and wants to follow Ben into England’s Test team
LIAM LIVINGSTONE is about to bring his big-hitting game to the IPL but the Englishman admits he still harbours dreams of starring in the rather more sedate surroundings of Test cricket. The 28-year-old is a key figure, in the absence of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, for Rajasthan Royals on the return of the richest and glitziest of franchise tournaments. He has already been the undisputed white-ball star of the summer, forcing his way into the England Twenty20 side in time for next month’s World Cup.
Indeed, Livingstone made it practically impossible to leave him out when he hit the fastest hundred for England in any format against Pakistan at Trent Bridge — a 42-ball century — and then smashed what could well have been the biggest six of all time over the new Emerald Stand at Headingley. However, with the ability to be a genuine all-rounder by bowling off and leg-spin, Livingstone could even fill some Stokes-sized shoes in the England Test team. ‘It’s something I’m not giving up on and, hopefully, I can get time to work on it,’ he said. ‘It was nice to hear people like Shane Warne and Kevin Pietersen saying this summer I could play Test cricket because they were two of my heroes. Test cricket is still the pinnacle of our sport and it’s what everybody dreams of playing growing up. ‘I could never have hoped at the start of the summer it would go as well as it has but the little taster I had with England in India last winter was the moment I thought: “I actually belong at this level”. ‘Taking that confidence into the summer helped me.’