Picture Credit: ICC
England speedster Liam Plunkett, who last donned the national colours in the final of the 2019 World Cup, expressed his disappointment on how he was treated by the England Cricket Board (ECB). Notably, England's next assignment immediately after the World Cup was a tour of New Zealand but Plunkett wasn't selected for the same. He has now revealed that he came to know about his ouster from the squad on Twitter.
The development came across as a shocker especially because Plunkett played a crucial role in England's thrilling win over New Zealand in the World Cup final. The 36-year-old ended up with figures of 3/42, including the wicket of Kane Williamson. But since then, he has failed to find a place in the squad in all formats of the game.
Plunkett not pleased with the way his selection was dealt with
"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.
Received a call from ECB chairman a year later: Plunkett
Plunkett said that he did receive a call almost a year later but it didn't make any sense then.
"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 (after he was first dropped) from Ed Smith (ECB chairman), 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."