England’s leading run-scorer in ODI cricket retires from the limited-overs formats but states desire to continue in Tests
The England batsman Ian Bell has retired from one-day international cricket after being left out of England’s two most recent limited overs squads.
Bell, 33, was dropped from the one-day side after England’s disappointing performance at the 2015 World Cup and few pundits expected him to have a future in the format at international level. There was speculation that he might retire from Test cricket as he hinted that he was “considering his future” after England’s Ashes victory; however he recently wrote in his column in The Metro: “Deep down, I think I probably knew I wasn’t ready to call time on my England Test career.”
The Warwickshire batsman is England’s leading run-scorer in ODI cricket with 5,416 runs at an average of 37.87 over 161 matches. However he has frequently been criticised by fans for his career strike-rate of 77.16, his failure to establish himself in one position in the batting order and his relatively meagre tally of four centuries.
