- By Gurmeet Batra
- Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:35 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
England all-rounder Liam Livingstone launched an explosive tirade against England's team management, specifically head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key, for a lack of communication, stating he was left out in the cold after being dropped by the Three Lions last year.
The 32-year-old all-rounder, who has featured in 100 matches for England across formats, revealed that McCullum informed him of being dropped from the team in a brief phone call lasting less than a minute, with no clear explanation.
After a disappointing 2025 tour of India and the Champions Trophy, Livingstone was dropped from England’s white-ball squads.
"I don't think it [the call] would have reached a minute. I asked why; they said they wanted to try someone else. That was off Baz. Wrighty [outgoing selector Luke Wright] didn't reach out, and Brooky [captain Harry Brook] sent me a text," Livingstone told ESPNcricinfo.
When Livingstone questioned about the breakdown in communication, Key reportedly said he had "100 more important things to do.”
"That probably sums that group up as a collective. Keysy said nothing - [he] said I'll speak to you in the summer. I actually rang him one day, and he said he was busy at a Test camp at Loughborough. And then I didn't hear off him until the end of September,” Livingstone said.
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Opening up about his strained relationship with the team management, he revealed that McCullum told him of being dropped from the team in a brief phone call lasting less than a minute, with no clear explanation.
Livingstone also claimed that Key ignored his calls and messages, only reaching out months later to inform him that his contract wouldn't be renewed.
"I was asking for help, and pretty much all I got was that I care too much and I need to chill out a little bit, and everything will take care of itself. For someone to keep telling you that you care too much is probably a bit way off the mark, to be honest, with what you go through and parents sacrificing so much for years on end to get you to realise your dream," Livingstone said.
"I was just trying to ask for help to get better: what do they see that isn't going right? You'd hit a couple out of the middle of the bat, and they'd go, 'Great, you found it. Let's go back to the hotel.' It wasn't the most enjoyable experience for me. If you're asking me about my hopes going forward, all I would say is I want to enjoy playing cricket, and I'm not going to do something that isn't enjoyable," Livingstone added.