Livingstone to skip Aussie series but on track for Cup

Liam Livingstone is set to miss the entire T20 series against Australia and is instead targeting England's final T20 World Cup warm-up against Pakistan next week to return from an ankle injury that he feels has allowed him to have a mental refresh.

An innocuous stumble on a kerb in late August during The Hundred caused extensive ligament damage in Livingstone's left ankle and, although he is with England in Australia, he has a watching brief for the ongoing three-match Dettol T20 series.

While England fear he may also miss their first World Cup match against Afghanistan in Perth on 22 October, Livingstone is eyeing their practice contest five days earlier in Brisbane to prove his fitness, one of four official ICC warm-up events to be broadcast on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports.

However, the big-hitting all-rounder insisted England's enviable crop of middle-order batters means he is under no pressure to rush himself back into action before he is fully ready.

"In my head I'm aiming for the warm-up game against Pakistan but if I push it too hard, too early you knock yourself back," he said.

"We're trying to get that balance right; push it as hard as we can without aggravating it.

"I wouldn't want to go into a game not being 100 per cent. Ultimately, there's no selfish reasons to do that. I don't think that's the right thing for me to do and I don't think it's the right thing to do for the lads.

"We've got an unbelievable squad out here and I certainly wouldn't want to be representing my country at 90 per cent.

"It's improving really quickly. It's got much better quicker than I thought it was going to.

"Finally we're at the exciting part of the rehab, we're getting close and can see light at the end of the tunnel. I'm excited to be back out there and back playing."

On the same day he became the top draft pick for this summer's KFC BBL with the Melbourne Renegades – underlining his status as a premier white-ball star – it emerged Livingstone was facing a lay-off after a freak accident.

The initial diagnosis was between two and three months out but six weeks on, he is batting pain-free in the nets and able to bowl, accepting the challenge is in the field with sharp changes in direction.

While he initially worried he would miss the upcoming World Cup, time away from cricket after a busy past few years T20 franchise leagues and with England has been beneficial for Livingstone.

"It wasn't ideal, but I'm a big believer in everything happens for a reason and maybe I just needed a break," the 29-year-old said.

"I'd pretty much played three years of solid cricket so it's been nice to spend a bit of time at home.

"Now, I feel like I'm that kid again in the back garden wanting to play cricket every minute of the day.

"Something I've always found difficult is when the right time is to have that break. We've got short careers, you want to go around the world expressing your talent, you want to go and play in different tournaments.

"Coming out and playing in a Big Bash is great fun but you've got to remember we're playing cricket at the top level, the pressure of it and the mental side of it can get to you without realising.

"I've seen this injury as a real positive for me because it's given me time to get away from cricket.

"I went away for a holiday with my family to Portugal and literally came back a new man, you don't quite realise it until you've done it. Mentally the break's done me the world of good."

With former Big Bash flop Harry Brook now impressing for England in Livingstone's usual position at five in the order, it may mean the man who holds the record for the fastest T20 hundred by an Englishman shifts down a position on his comeback.

Livingstone added: "I think everybody is now seeing what we see around practice every day. Brooky's one of those unbelievable talents.

"We've got 15 blokes that are capable of winning games for England and that's a great thing to be a part of."

Men's Dettol T20I Series v England

Australia squad (first T20I): Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchel Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner

Australia squad (second and third T20Is): Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

England squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

First T20: England won by eight runs

Second T20, Wednesday Oct 12: Manuka Oval, Canberra 7:10pm AEDT

Third T20, Friday Oct 14: Manuka Oval, Canberra 7:10pm AEDT

Buy #AUSvENG T20 tickets here