England : Liam Livingstone says he felt “left out in the cold” after being dropped by the England cricket team, claiming the current team environment offers little support to players outside the core group.
The 32-year-old all-rounder has not featured for England since the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan last year, where he struggled for form, scoring 33 runs and taking three wickets in three matches.
Livingstone revealed that head coach Brendon McCullum informed him of his exclusion in a phone call that lasted less than a minute.
“I asked why; they said they wanted to try someone else,” he said, adding that limited communication followed from the management team.
He also pointed to a lack of engagement from director of cricket Rob Key, saying attempts to speak with him went largely unanswered for months.
“That probably sums that group up as a collective,” Livingstone said. “If you’re in, you’re in, and if you’re not, no one cares about you.”
The batter also said that when he sought guidance, he was told he “cared too much” and needed to relax more, a response he found frustrating.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has not yet commented on Livingstone’s remarks.
