RCB had a non-performer in Liam Livingstone, who came with a big hype and a whopping sum of INR 8.75 crore this season.
IPL 2025 was all about different players stepping up on various occasions for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), which was a reason behind their immense success. Numerous players won the Player of the Match award, depicting it was a team effort that culminated in a trophy.
However, RCB still had a non-performer who came with a big hype and a whopping sum of INR 8.75 crore this season but failed to deliver consistent performances. Liam Livingstone looked good in patches but was disappointing overall, given he failed to deliver with both bat and ball.
Livingstone could only score 112 runs at an abysmal average of 16 and a 133.33 strike rate in eight innings, including a solitary fifty. Further, he took two wickets at 38 runs apiece in five innings, conceding 8.44 runs per over.
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru might release Liam Livingstone ahead of the next season. They have several reasons to release him and open the way for other players.
Firstly, Livingstone is taking a huge sum, and releasing him would free enough purse for RCB. Secondly, his performances have not been close to the best, and he was dropped midway through the season for Romario Shepherd.
At this point, Livingstone takes a big amount and an overseas slot without doing anything significant. His form in other T20 leagues and for England hasn’t been too great to back him either.
If released, RCB will have an option to get someone better at the same price or a bit higher. They can also get him back at a lower price next season if they want, since he won’t be as expensive next time.
If RCB release Liam Livingstone, they can re-buy Cameron Green, who made himself unavailable for the IPL 2025 auction. He underwent surgery last year and will get full bowling fitness by the next season.
Green did a terrific job for the Bengaluru-based franchise in 2024, where he contributed with both bat and ball. He scored 255 runs at an average of 31.87 and a 143.25 strike rate in 12 innings.
Further, he snared ten wickets at 30.30 runs apiece in 13 outings, including a best of 2/12. This season, RCB had Romario as a pace-bowling all-rounder, but would want more options for this role.
Green can bat anywhere in the order, making him more flexible than Romario, whose primary job is batting in the lower order and taking on pacers. The Aussie all-rounder is also a better player of spin and can take them on.
Further, his bowling has better attributes than Shepherd’s, for he knows how to use hard lengths and bowl according to the fields. This is an area Shepherd needs to work on; his T20 bowling is far from ideal, even if he has that wicket-taking knack.
Hence, Livingstone must go if RCB want to have more balance and options in their squad. They have a well-settled core, and Green’s inclusion will make them stronger.
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