IPL 2021: Hit hard and long is my ‘super strength,’ says Rajasthan Royals batsman Liam Livingstone

Rajasthan Royals’ destructive middle-order batsman Liam Livingstone can’t wait to get going in the second leg of the Indian Premier League, starting from Sunday in the UAE.

Rajasthan Royals will face Punjab Kings on Monday.

England’s Livingstone is a destructive batsman, who has close to 350 overall sixes to his name across formats, and he referred to his ability to hit hard and long as a ‘super strength.’

“Power-hitting is something that I’ve worked really hard at – trying to get that consistency. Ultimately, it’s sort of a super strength for me at the moment and hopefully I can continue with it,” said Livingstone.

The 28-year-old, one of the most sought after T20 freelancers in world cricket, having played in the Big Bash League, and the Pakistan Super League, is now expected to shoulder the batting burden of Rajasthan Royals along with Sanju Samson during the IPL.

Asked whether he feels he’s at the peak of his career, having played more than 150 T20 matches across domestic and global leagues. Liam said: “I guess so. A lot of sportspersons don’t peak until they’re at the age of 30, so hopefully, I’m just starting to hit the peak of my career and can continue performing well in the next four-five years.”

Coming into the IPL after some smashing performances in ‘The Hundred’ for Birmingham Phoenix, Livingstone aspires to create a brand and fan base of his own playing the shortest format and is ready to bat anywhere for the team.

“In the last couple of years, I’ve played at different positions. I open at home (with Lancashire), I play at 5 or 6 for England. So, it’s something that I’ve plied myself on…being adaptable to wherever I can contribute within a team, and I guess it’s something that helps me, makes me a little bit more selectable,” said Livingstone.

Livingstone had withdrawn during the first phase of the tournament in India when he complained of bubble fatigue and left home from his Mumbai team base.

He feels way more fresh this time around.

“I had spent a lot of time away from home during the winter, living out of hotels. Ultimately, I guess the pressure of everything kind of built up to a point where I felt like I wasn’t in the best place to perform even if I was needed to.

“The best decision for me personally and my own health was to go home and take some time off, and I think Royals management were kind enough to understand this and make everything easy for me.

“I feel there’s more to life than just cricket, and sometimes we sort of forget that we are actual human beings and sometimes we have to look after ourselves.

“I think sometimes your mental and physical health is most important,” he said.