Liam Livingstone Says IPL 2026 Was “Quite Boring” Because Pitches Favoured Batters
His comments highlight player concern that flat surfaces together with the Impact Player rule cut down on displays of batting skill and may prompt questions about pitch preparation.
Overview
- Livingstone made the remarks on the Stick To Cricket podcast on Thursday, saying constant boundary-hitting on flat tracks and the Impact Player rule made several matches unengaging.
- He pointed to the Wankhede game where Mumbai scored 243 and Sunrisers chased the total inside 18 overs as an example of how easily big targets were reached.
- Livingstone reflected on his own limited IPL 2026 role, noting he played only a couple of matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad after being bought for INR 13 crore and scored 15 runs in two innings.
- He praised 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as an extraordinary talent who stood out even within a season of unusually high scoring.
- No official response from the IPL or franchises has been reported and the remarks could increase scrutiny of pitch preparation, the Impact Player rule, and how to balance big scores with competitive skill display.