Liam Livingstone’s IPL 2023 Participation in Doubt Due to Fitness Concerns
England batsman Liam Livingstone has been one of the noticeable absentees in the ongoing 16th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Will Liam Livingstone play in IPL 2023?
The cricketer, who joined the Punjab Kings in 2021, is set to play his second season with the team, and fourth season in the IPL. However, Livingstone has been missing in action in the first two matches of the tournament.
Livingstone’s previous IPL season with the Punjab Kings was impressive, where he scored 437 runs in 14 innings with an average of 36.41 and a strike rate of 182.08. It made him the second-highest run-scorer for the team after Shikhar Dhawan.
Reason for Liam Livingstone Absence from IPL 2023
The cricketer missed the Punjab Kings’ season opener against Kolkata Knight Riders in Mohali on April 2, 2023, and also sat out of their second match against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati. Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza replaced him in the second match. Although Livingstone is yet to be ruled out of the tournament, his absence is due to fitness concerns.
Livingstone has not yet received the fitness clearance from the England Cricket Board (ECB) to make a return to representative cricket after a gap of four months. He suffered a knee injury during his debut Test match against Pakistan in August 2022, which has kept him out of action since then.
The 28-year-old cricketer made a positive impact in Punjab’s dressing room during his previous season with the team. His comeback in the IPL will be eagerly awaited by his teammates and fans. However, there are concerns over the cricketer’s ankle injury that he suffered a few months before his knee injury, which could be a reason for ECB’s cautious approach towards his return.
Livingstone’s IPL Career
Livingstone has played 23 IPL innings, scoring 549 runs with an average of 27.45 and a strike rate of 166.87, including four half-centuries. The cricketer made his IPL debut in 2019 with the Rajasthan Royals and played for them for two seasons before joining Punjab Kings.
It is imperative for Livingstone to get his fitness clearance soon and join his team as they look to secure their first IPL title. His previous season with Punjab was a great success, and another impressive IPL season would only boost his numbers and further improve his cricketing career.
Liam Livingstone’s absence from the Punjab Kings’ squad in IPL 2023 is due to fitness concerns. Although there is no official announcement regarding his unavailability for the tournament, Livingstone’s fitness clearance from ECB is still pending. The cricketer’s return to IPL is eagerly awaited by his fans, and his presence will be crucial for the team’s success in the tournament.
