Ian Bell announces retirement from ODI cricket

Ian Bell announces retirement from ODI cricket: England batsman and five-time Ashes winner Ian Bell has announced his decision to officially stand down from one-day international cricket in a bid to focus on extending his Test career. Bell, who scored a couple of pivotal half-centuries after being promoted to No.3 in the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston, announced his decision in his column for the ‘Metro’ a UK newspaper.

Bell wrote, “To sit here now as a five-time Ashes winner with the urn safely back in our hands is an amazing feeling, and something I struggle to put into words. But it’s taken a hell of a lot out of me, that’s for sure. For that reason I’ve decided now is the right time to officially stand down from international one-day cricket and put all my focus and attention on my Test career”.

“I’ve a huge amount still to give in the Test arena and still have so many ambitions left to achieve, both from a personal and a team perspective. I would love nothing more than to go to Australia in two years’ time and right the wrongs of our last Ashes tour there.”

He is England’s leading ODI run-scorer, with 5,416 runs in 161 matches. He has four ODI centuries to his name, the last of which came against Australia in Hobart in January this year. The classy right hander was not at his best during England’s recent 3-2 Ashes series win, apart from two fifties in the third Test at his Edgbaston home ground, and averaged a mere 26.87 in 9 innings.

Alastair Cook, speaking after the Ashes, was adamant that he wanted the experienced Bell in England’s squad for tough upcoming series away to Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates and in South Africa. The elegant batsman had not been selected for England’s one-day teams since their World Cup exit and the decision is on expected lines.