I Found Out On Twitter, Nobody Really Made A Call - Liam Plunkett Unhappy In The Manner ECB Dropped Him After World Cup Win

Liam Plunkett was the unsung hero of England’s historic 2019 World Cup win at home, claiming their first-ever 50-over trophy.

While bowling predominantly cross-seam deliveries at the hard length in the middle overs, Liam Plunkett picked 11 wickets at an economy of 4.86 in the tournament. He saved his best for the final against New Zealand returning with figures of 3/42, including the wicket of Kiwi skipper, Kane Williamson.

However, he was surprisingly never picked in the England team thereafter. The idea was that Eoin Morgan and the England Cricket Board (ECB) were preparing the side for the new cycle leading up to the 2023 World Cup in India, and Liam Plunkett, who was 34 at that time, didn’t fit in their future projects and was sidelined for younger pacers.

Just the way it was dealt with: Liam Plunkett

While the Yorkshireman seems to now have accepted this justification of the ECB, however, he was upset by the fact the nobody from the board called up and told him their decision. Instead, it was from Twitter, that he learned about his exclusion from the Three Lions squad for their next series.

“I can see where they were going; it’s just the way it was done. I found out on Twitter that I wasn’t going to South Africa (New Zealand), surely they can give me a call. It was just the way it was done; I thought it was shit to be honest with you,” Liam Plunkett said in an interview with ‘Headstrong: An Innings With’.

“If someone actually called me to say, ‘Listen, being realistic, we’re going to go with the youngsters, thanks for everything you’ve done. Just the way it was dealt with, nobody really made a call,” he added.

Liam Plunkett also revealed that he received a call from Ed Smith, the then national selector, who called him up after a year to tell that he was not needed in the side anymore.

“I got a call when the England squad played in the bubble; I think it was a 40-man squad (55). I got a phone call a year later from Ed Smith (after he was first dropped), saying, ‘Mate, you’re not in the squad.’

And I was like, ‘It’s pretty late now; you could have called me a year ago. It had sort of sailed by; there was no need to call (at that point). It was just the way it was dealt with. I could see where they were going,” the seamer said.

Also Read: No South African Player Felt At Risk In India During IPL 2021: Graeme Smith