IPL 2024: Aakash Chopra questions Liam Livingstone's hefty price tag

Aakash Chopra has questioned Liam Livingstone's Rs 13 crore IPL price, calling it 'inflated' due to his poor form over the last few years. He noted this is a chance for the English all-rounder to prove his worth with his new team, SRH.

Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra questioned the hefty prize tag of English all-rounder Liam Livingstone, saying that the "figures are slightly inflated since he has not performed anything like that for the past two or three years" to deserve such a big pay. Livingstone, who has not played for England since the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to poor form, attracted a Rs 13 crores bid from SRH ahead of this season. His addition has strengthened team's hard-hitting line-up consisting of Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy.

However, Aakash has raised some questions over Livingstone's form over the last two-three years in the IPL and added that after his omission from the England side, this is his chance to "make a difference". Speaking on his YouTube channel, Livingstone said, "I am thinking about Liam Livingstone. He was talking about the lack of communication in the England setup, and that he did not get the same kind of response and messages, and all of that. He has been sold for a lot of money, but let's be honest, the figures are slightly inflated because he has not performed anything like that in the last two or three years to get this much money," Chopra said. "He would not have gotten so much money had it not been a supply-and-demand issue, but now that he is there, he will get a chance to play, make a difference. This is your opportunity, Liam Livingstone," he added.

A look at Livingstone's recent form

In 2022, Livingstone has a breakout season with the Punjab Kings (PBKS), scoring 437 runs in 14 innings at an average of 36.42 and a strike rate of over 182, with four fifties. He was PBKS' second-highest run-getter that season. But in the past three seasons, Livingstone has not been at his best, scoring 502 runs in 27 matches and 25 innings at an average of 22.81, with three fifties and a declined strike rate of over 150.

Last year for England, he could score just 74 runs in five T20I matches at an average of 14.80 and a strike rate of 127.58, with a best score of 43. However, it was his fine showings in the English domestic circuit and The Hundred which put the explosive right-hander back into the good books of IPL franchises ahead of the auction last year. Last year, he had a strong The Hundred season for Birmingham Phoenix, where he scored 241 runs at an average of 40.16, including a fifty and took seven wickets, and an impressive Vitality Blast for Lancashire, amassing 260 runs at an average of 52 and a strike rate above 176, including a half-century, along with six wickets.

'Opportunity for Sharma, Kishan to make it big'

Aakash also said that for the captain-vice-captain duo of Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma in the absence of an injured regular captain Pat Cummins for the season-start, it is a chance to make it big. "It's an opportunity for Abhishek Sharma to make it a 600-700-run season. Ishan Kishan should make such a big captaincy stature that you wish to go towards him, whether Pat Cummins is there or not," he said.

Abhishek Sharma's rise

The 2024 season was a breakthrough one for Abhishek, scoring 484 runs in 16 innings at an average of 32.27 and a strike rate of over 204, with three fifties and a best score of 75*, including 42 sixes. Since then, Abhishek has delivered strong performances for India in T20Is, becoming the world number one T20I batter.

Kishan's exceptional form

Notably, Ishan has been in exceptional form since leading Jharkhand to their first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title in 2025, finishing as the top scorer in the tournament with 517 runs. His performances earned him a return to India's T20 World Cup squad, where he played a crucial role in India's T20 WC title defence. At the 2026 T20 WC, Ishan Kishan scored 317 runs with three fifties and ended as the team's second-highest run-scorer.

SRH signed Ishan Kishan before the IPL 2025 season for Rs 14.5 crore and made an immediate impact, smashing a 45-ball century against Rajasthan Royals on debut for the franchise. However, he ended the season with 354 runs from 13 innings at an average of 35.40, with his form tapering off immediately after the century.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)