AB de Villiers on Liam Livingstone's trade | PC- AFP
The CSK and SRH franchises recently completed an epic four-player trade ahead of the IPL 2027 auction. Liam Livingstone was among those four players as the explosive English middle-order batter is now headed to CSK in exchange of fast bowler Khaleel Ahmed for Rs. 6 crores.
While CSK fans are celebrating the surprise inclusion of Livingstone, former South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers believe that the SRH management has committed a major blunder by trading off the 33-year-old.
Liam Livingstone a big asset, believes AB de Villiers
Taking to his YouTube channel, IPL legend AB de Villiers praised Liam Livingstone and claimed that his absence will be a big loss for the SRH franchise next year during the IPL 2027 season.
The former South Africa captain also added that Livingstone was underused throughout the IPL 2026 season this year, and the hard-hitting middle-order batter also failed to perform for the RCB in 2025.
AB de Villiers said, “Livingstone is playing good cricket. He's got a phenomenal golf swing. Always a big asset. Everyone was happy with the trade, but I still feel it is a big loss for the Sunrisers. Maybe he was underused throughout the last IPL. Never really got going at RCB as well.”
Compatible to Villiers’ claims, Livingstone only managed to play just two matches for the SRH in the IPL 2026 season this year. In his two innings, the England batter managed to register just 15 runs at a strike rate of 60.
However, Liam Livingstone still boasts of some extraordinary numbers in his IPL profile, courtesy of his remarkable three-season run with the Punjab Kings between the years 2022 and 2024.
AB de Villiers has special advise for CSK-bound Livingstone
AB de Villiers also shared a special advice for the CSK-bound England cricketer. Since the surface at the Chepauk Stadium is generally a spin-friendly one, the former Proteas skipper and RCB legend is of the opinion that Liam Livingstone should keep a clear mind and play according to spin.
He explained, “The Chepauk is not always spin-friendly. I have played many games there where the seamers were tricky to face. The challenge for Livingstone will be not to have predetermined ideas about the stadium and feel like spin will get all over him. Just have a clear mind and play what you see.”
As of now, it remains to be seen how Liam Livingstone will fare with the CSK group as the cricketer transitions from high-scoring Hyderabad venue to a spin-friendly Chepauk surface as his next IPL home base.
