Liam Livingstone has labelled 2022 a "very special year'" having played an integral part in England 's revolution under Brendon McCullum.
English cricket has gone from strength to strength in recent months, following a dismal Ashes defeat to Australia a year ago. Having lost 4-0 to old rivals Australia last winter, it was time for change and this was introduced in the form of appointing new head coach - and New Zealand legend - McCullum.
Under the guidance of the New Zealander and new captain Ben Stokes, England have seemingly changed the face of Test cricket. Their new, hard-hitting style of play - labelled 'Bazball' after McCullum - has seen the national team revolutionise the way in which the longest format of the game is played.
England's recent historic series whitewash win over Pakistan was as good an advert as any for McCullum and Stokes' new era, after blowing the hosts away across the three-match series.
One man who was brought in as part of this shake-up was Livingstone, after the Lancashire star made his Test debut in the opening clash of the series in Rawalpindi earlier this month. The all-rounder was forced to miss the rest of the tour through injury, but his trip to Pakistan still proved to be a special one after completing a lifelong dream.
Speaking exclusively to Mirror Sport at the 2022 Sports Personality of The Year awards, Livingstone said: "Yeah, the Test call up was short and sharp but it has been a very special year... It was obviously something I had always dreamed of.
"I had always wanted to play Test cricket for my country. It is the pinnacle of our sport. I guess I have finally lived that dream, albeit swiftly after unfortunately ending with injury." The Lancastrian also gave an insight into what it is like to work in England's newfound environment, revealing the dressing room is not like any he had witnessed before.
Discussing the McCullum-Stokes set-up, he went on: "It has been very cool actually, it is very different to any environment I have been in before. There is a lot of talk about entertainment and record breaking and not so much winning or losing which is a pretty cool place to be, and I guess the results have shown."
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Is not only been the Test arena in which Livingstone has made his mark, after he also shone in England's T20 World Cup winning side in Australia - a format he is much more familiar with. Adding a Test debut and a World Cup title to his CV unsurprisingly made 2022 a year to remember for the 29-year-old.
"It has certainly been a massive turnaround [since England's struggles in 2021]. Winning a World Cup with the white ball boys, it is always a special year when you win a World Cup, so it has been very special," Livingstone commented.
"I guess looking back any year you make your Test debut and win a World Cup is pretty cool, so 2022 is a year I will certainly remember fondly for the rest of my life."
