"It's nice to be back at the cricket ground and not in a gym" - Liam Livingstone ahead of his first IPL 2023 game

Punjab Kings all-rounder Liam Livingstone admitted that he's filled with excitement ahead of his first competitive game since December. The Lancashire cricketer also feels the extended time off has given him time to rest and reflect.

Livingstone, one of the four overseas players in the ongoing clash against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in Mohali, hasn't played since the first Test against Pakistan in December. The 29-year-old has battled a knee injury ever since then and missed five matches for PBKS in IPL 2023.

Speaking during a pre-game interview, the hard-hitting all-rounder said it was nice to be going to the cricket ground instead of the gym.

"I know it seems a long while ago. It's nice to be back at the cricket ground and not in a gym, so I'm really excited and I'm likely to go. It's probably given me a nice time to rest and reflect on the last couple of years and I'm really excited to get going again."

The Englishman acknowledged that managing injuries occurring one after the other hasn't been easy, but feels it is all worthwhile.

"Yeah, it's been difficult and some days that's been really challenging over the last couple of months. But it makes it all worthwhile. My knee hasn't been okay for a while now and my ankle flared up and got a niggle in my hamstring on my first training session. So, fingers crossed, hope everything is alright and I can get back up and running again."

When asked what the Kings have talked about since their previous game, Livingstone highlighted their motive to entertain the crowd amidst a stiff challenge from RCB:

"I think we've been playing some really good cricket. It's just about trying to take the game on and entertain the crowd, which is a big thing for us. Also, enjoy your cricket and we know we've got a big challenge today. RCB is a great team, but the boys are really excited. It's a great camp, I've obviously joined late and the environment is brilliant and everybody is looking forward to today."

The English all-rounder fetched an enormous INR 11.5 crore from the Kings ahead of the 2022 edition and lived up to the billing. He smashed 437 runs in 14 matches, striking at over 180.

"If the stadium is full, it means we're doing our job alright" - Liam Livingstone

Liam Livingstone. (Image Credits: Getty)

Speaking further on the importance of entertaining the crowd, the 29-year-old stated that they have continued to do so this year, adding:

"I guess that's our job. If the stadium is full, it means we're doing our job alright. It's our way to win games of cricket. We started that last year and we've certainly continued it this year, so I'm excited to get back and be involved with the boys. Hopefully, we can go out there and win today."

The Punjab Kings are currently fifth in the points table, winning three out of five games.