The IPL 2025 auction generated a lot of discussions as the franchises reshuffled their teams after the mega auction. Among the big moves, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) made headlines by acquiring several impact players, opting to move away from India’s marquee players and building a strong team around their core retentions.
While this drew criticism from various quarters, including analyst Aakash Chopra, RCB were able to rope in some good players with their smart approach in the auction. They shunned the likes of KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer at exorbitant prices despite having one of the biggest purses heading into the auction.
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His first purchase at the auction was England all-rounder Liam Livingstone, bought for ₹8.75 crore after a bidding war with Chennai Super Kings.
Liam Livingstone opens up about his move from Punjab Kings to RCB
The England star wasted no time in sharing his excitement about joining RCB. Speaking about the move, the 31-year-old appeared to take a subtle dig at his former team Punjab Kings.
“Bangalore is going to be very good for my game. The stadium is a little smaller than others in India and certainly better than what Punjab was for me,” Livingstone told Reuters. “I hope my game adapts well to this place.”
“The fans are very passionate. “It is probably one of the biggest franchises in IPL… It is like a new beginning for me,” he added.
The comment comes after Livingstone’s three seasons with Punjab, where he scored 827 runs but fell short of the consistency expected of him. He suggested that the conditions in Bengaluru, especially the Chinnaswamy Stadium’s reputation for its high-scoring, shorter boundary games, align better with his style of play.
Livingstone expressed his excitement at joining a passionate fan base and playing alongside the likes of Virat Kohli and Phil Salt, another high-profile England selection for RCB this season. “Playing with Virat is going to be really great. “There are some people on the team that I know well, so I’m excited to go out as a group,” he added.
While he praised RCB’s squad formation in the auction, Livingstone stopped short of making any bold predictions. Instead, he emphasized the need to work hard to deliver the franchise its much-awaited IPL title.
With his recent form in the Abu Dhabi T10, where he smashed a 15-ball fifty, Livingstone could play a crucial role in RCB’s campaign. His great batting aside, Livingstone’s bowling could also prove useful for RCB as they look to fill Glenn Maxwell’s void with the Englishman.