‘One the most fluent batter ever,’ is a term which was often associated with former England batter Ian Bell who is celebrating his 42nd birthday today. The man who not only changed the momentum of the English batting line-up but also became a nightmare for the opposition bowling lineup.
Bell embarked on his illustrious international cricket journey in 2001 but the seeds were sown before going to Warwickshire, England. Ian Ronald Bell was born on 11th April 1982 in Warwickshire, England. A young boy who started playing club cricket as a side hobby soon became a star in his club.
Despite being a loyal fan of traditional rivals Aston Villa, Bell joined Coventry City’s football school of excellence. There he actively participated in matches for Coventry and North Warwickshire Cricket Club which made him popular among cricket enthusiasts.
His amazing performance helped him earn his maiden Under-19 call in 1998 as he traveled to New Zealand for a match unofficial Test series. In three games he was able to score 300-odd runs. This was the time when Dayle Hadlee, brother of Sir Richard Hadlee, described him as the best 16-year-old he had ever seen.
Breaking into international cricket!
Since his Under-19 debut, Ian Bell never looked back as he embarked on a journey that established him as one of the biggest superstars of English cricket. He made his international debut at The Oval in 2004 against West Indies. Notably, he had received his maiden Test call in 2001 only as injury cover for star batter Mark Butcher but didn’t get a chance to bat.
In his debut innings, Bell had scored 70 runs while in his next two innings against Bangladesh, he smashed his maiden Test century. His elegant and smooth bat flow was admired by experts and fans around the globe. In his illustrious career, Bell scored 7727 runs in 205 innings at an average of 42.69.
He has smashed 22 centuries and 46 half-centuries in Test cricket. In ODI cricket he has scored more than 5400 runs at an average of 37.87 in 157 innings. He had scored four centuries making 141 his highest score. Two of his most iconic series came in the 2010s.
In a seven-match ODI series against India, he was named man of the series for his iconic performances. He averaged around 78 by scoring two half-centuries and a century. In Test cricket, he played a pivotal role in England’s first-ever Test series win in Australia after 1986/87.
Bell celebrates his 42nd birthday and we join his fans and friends in wishing him a long and healthy life. His amazing cricketing knowledge has been a delight for the fans to hear as he constantly comments.