England cricketer Ian Bell announced his retirement from One Day Internationals (ODIs) on Friday. Bell decided to call time on his international ODI career because he wanted to elongate his Test career.
The five times Ashes winner with England finished with the figures of 5,416 runs in 161 ODIs at an average of 37.87 and that includes four centuries and 34 half centuries.
Bell opined that he was pondering over hanging his boots from the 50 over format right after England clinched yet another Ashes series at home against Australia last week.
"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," Bell wrote in his column in Metro.
Bell, who has been struggling with his form in the longer format of the game as well, said that this would help him focus in the game and he wanted to elongate his career in Test cricket. Bell has not been able to deliver with his willow in Tests in two successive Ashes series now. He could not get back his touch in the series against New Zealand as well.
"I would love nothing more than to go to Australia in two years' time and right the wrongs of our last Ashes tour there. I've also been asked if I would like to become the first ever English six-time Ashes winner and the answer is yes, absolutely. If I'm playing well and feeling fit, that is without doubt my goal," Bell added.
