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Ian Bell, the Test batsman - How do you rate him?

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Slog

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To me he is very underrated.

Averages 43 in Test cricket. Has 22 Hundreds which is fantastic

Averages 35+ in all countries barring India, WI and UAE (UAE was just a horror series)

He may not be a KP who could change the face of the game but I think he is a very good batsman and has been v imp for England in the past decade.

To be at the top level for more than a decade is an achievement in itself
 
Very much a confidence player. Most of (though not all) his centuries have come when someone such as Strauss, KP or Cook scored a century above him in the order.

Averages fifty at #5 and should probably stay there.

During the 2013 Ashes series he scored three centuries and was the dominant batsman on either side.
 
Robert said:
Very much a confidence player. Most of (though not all) his centuries have come when someone such as Strauss, KP or Cook scored a century above him in the order.

Averages fifty at #5 and should probably stay there.

During the 2013 Ashes series he scored three centuries and was the dominant batsman on either side.
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every successful side has batsmen like him
 
Robert said:
Very much a confidence player. Most of (though not all) his centuries have come when someone such as Strauss, KP or Cook scored a century above him in the order.

Averages fifty at #5 and should probably stay there.

During the 2013 Ashes series he scored three centuries and was the dominant batsman on either side.
Click to expand...

every successful side has batsmen like him
 
Don't rate him that highly. Has a tendency to go missing against good attacks or when the team is under pressure. He's played his share of good knocks (was outstanding in 2013 Ashes), mind, but not as much from a guy with his reputation. Decent batsman, but I rate him well below the likes of Cook, KP, and even Trott.

Currently, he just doesn't deserve a spot in the side. He averages barely 33 or something in the last 40+ tests.

He's very aesthetically pleasing thugh.
 
Good international player - not top-tier though IMO.

Someone summed his career up pretty well in another thread with something long the lines of being surprised at how a player who has over 100 Tests played has never been assured of his spot - or so is the impression I've (and others it seems) always had.

I like him, always have done - always felt he deserved more trust.
 
WrexEverything said:
What relevance do the stats have here when the topic clealrly says Ian Bell the test batsman
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A lot really tbf

On the odi circuit players sometimes shows tendencies to go on to become test standard
The name 'one day' somewhat indicates that the player has the capacity to 'one day' go and perform in the test arena in front of adoring fans at the gaddafi stadium

The stats on their ages indicate that bell has reached the peak and placed a flag but umar still has his 'one.day' to come should fate be willing

I understand you do not want to sidetrack the thread and bell's superiority in tests relative to umar resonates strongly with you
We can pray Akmal converts his odi performances to the test circuit
 
Pretty good when in full flow but goes missing far too often, which is reflected in his average. Root should probably bat above him, somehow (if he isn't dropped).
 
Good player, bit boring as he's so damn textbook. Overshadowed by his more illustrious teammates, i.e. Pietersen, Cook etc.
 
A batsman of his talent and technique should be averaging over 50, and he is a classic example of how important it is to have a strong mentality to truly succeed at this level.

Has scored way too many soft runs in his career to be rated among the greats, even though his record is pretty good. A bit underrated because he is clearly not average/mediocre, given the fact that he has played a key role in big wins for England and as already pointed out, he was the difference between the two teams in the 2013 Ashes.

Very good batsman, but simply hasn't lived to the billing in respect to his ability - 112 Tests, 43 average and 22 hundreds is a terrific record and most batsmen would be very proud of it, but everyone including Bell himself would agree that he could have achieved a lot more for England after 100 Tests.

Don't think he is quite replaceable at the moment, especially if he regains a bit of form - he is still young enough to play another 3-4 years, end up with around 30 hundreds and a 45+ average, which would be great indeed.

Tricky time for him though, he really needs a hundred in this series and his next assignment is the UAE tour, where he failed badly in 2012.

If he does not score much in the remaining three Tests and ends the year with a poor series in the UAE, he might be dropped for good or may as well retire, because we have seen over the years that English players are not deluded about their capabilities, and don't linger once they realize that they don't have much left in the tank. Players like Strauss, Swann, Trott, Prior etc. could have carried on for another 2 years, but they didn't.

Players like Bell, Anderson etc. may retire sooner than people think.
 
Should have kicked on into a beast from about 2011 or 2012 but it never really happened. Threatened again in the 2013 Ashes series, but a player of his ability should have been churning out big runs for the last 4-5 years and be amongst the top ranked bats of the last 4 5 years with Sanga AB and Amla.
But it has not materilaised quite like it should have. Not mentally strong enough
 
Bell better retire before UAE tour, we all know what's going to happen next. Tbh it is the pressure whats killing him mentally, No KP No Staurss No Trott and he was suppose to step up which didn't happen. I think it's time to give up!
 
I think Bell's a good cricketer but somehow my impression of him is that he's capitalized when conditions have been easier - either they've been good starts or the pitch has flattened out when he's walked in, etc.

I don't recall him playing any YK type knocks where he has walked in with the score at 7/2 or something like that and scored a big hundred. I think his average is an ok reflection of his skill. He's managed to score 22 centuries, which is not far off someone like Inzi or Moyo, but imo he doesn't have the class or ability of those players.
 
Ian Bell is one of those cricketers good enough for international cricket. You're not going to drop him unless you have great players on the side line (meaning you have a great team too). He has awful of late though and deserves to be dropped.
I would pigeonhole him with the likes of Cullinan, Moyo, Mahela (albeit Bell a poor version of those two). Good enough cricketers to play for a competitive side or make them competitive nothing more!
 
Charlatan of a batsman. One of the biggest benefitters of a batsman favoured era but probably the only one not to average anywhere close to 50.
 
A good batsman who is a level below the likes of Yousuf, Laxman, Mahela and Langer. However, he still has some time to further build or destroy his legacy.
 
A good batsmen, nothing special. Seems to go through to many spates of being mediocre followed by a run glut.. very inconsitant overall to be seen as a world class player.
 
Probably sits somewhere in the Tier 3/4 batsmen list. Which is unfortunate because he really could have been in the Tier 2. Could have been the Gower of this era for England. But hasn't lived up to the hype.

Reminds me a bit of Mahela at times as he is a touch player, but unlike Mahela, Bell seems not to take full advantage of his purple patches.
 
A Proper Test Batsmen with the right techniques and calmness.
 
Technically a very correct batsman, and when confident a fine player to watch.

22 hundreds in test cricket is nothing to be scoffed at, though I don't know how many of those runs are crucial or say, tough runs (basically what Younis does).

With that in mind and age to one side, I wouldn't swap him with anyone in our current test middle order...

Of the touch players in recent years, despite his centuries, I wouldn't place him in the same bracket as say Clarke or Yousuf.
 
he is player of international standards ie. good enough fir international cricket nothing more.
I would pigeonhole with the likes of Cullinan, Moyo, Inzi, Mahela.
These players are good enough for a competitive side or make a team competitive, their form will fluctuate in certain conditions or against certain opposition (good sides). Always on the whispers of getting dropped but never get dropped as it would take an exceptional player to be an upgrade on these players.
 
Saqs said:
Probably sits somewhere in the Tier 3/4 batsmen list. Which is unfortunate because he really could have been in the Tier 2. Could have been the Gower of this era for England. But hasn't lived up to the hype.

Reminds me a bit of Mahela at times as he is a touch player, but unlike Mahela, Bell seems not to take full advantage of his purple patches.
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Mahela is a Subcontinent bully but he has scored several tough runs. The tons at Galle, a brilliant match saving ton in England in 2006. Not to mention, his performances in WC and the fact that IMO, he is one of Lanka's finest captains. A shrewd tactician and a fine mentor.

Bell has none of these characteristics. An utterly forgettable player. This 50 will harm England in the long run.
 
leatherface58 said:
Mahela is a Subcontinent bully but he has scored several tough runs. The tons at Galle, a brilliant match saving ton in England in 2006. Not to mention, his performances in WC and the fact that IMO, he is one of Lanka's finest captains. A shrewd tactician and a fine mentor.

Bell has none of these characteristics. An utterly forgettable player. This 50 will harm England in the long run.
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This 50 he just scored is basically his entire career summed up.
 
Averaging 34 in 44 tests since 2012. I wonder how long the rope will be.
 
A tier 4 batsman who had the potential (but did not have the will) to be in tier 2/3.
 
soso_killer said:
Ian Bell is one of those cricketers good enough for international cricket. You're not going to drop him unless you have great players on the side line (meaning you have a great team too). He has awful of late though and deserves to be dropped.
I would pigeonhole him with the likes of Cullinan, Moyo, Mahela (albeit Bell a poor version of those two). Good enough cricketers to play for a competitive side or make them competitive nothing more!
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Moyo? Yousuf's average is superior, and he has scored big in England too among other nations...More centuries would have come with more tests for Yousuf.

I can acknowledge the similarities in playing style perhaps but Yousuf exuded a lot more confidence more often AND was often in rescue mode with both our openers back in the hutch...

I rank Yousuf ahead of Mahela and I still think in tests, there is daylight between Mahela and Bell. Cullinan was before my time :(
 
Kaka4pope said:
Moyo? Yousuf's average is superior, and he has scored big in England too among other nations...More centuries would have come with more tests for Yousuf.

I can acknowledge the similarities in playing style perhaps but Yousuf exuded a lot more confidence more often AND was often in rescue mode with both our openers back in the hutch...

I rank Yousuf ahead of Mahela and I still think in tests, there is daylight between Mahela and Bell. Cullinan was before my time :(
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Agreed with this. Mahela and Yousuf both comfortably ahead of Bell.

Cullinan is probably the most apt comparison actually.
 
Saqs said:
This 50 he just scored is basically his entire career summed up.
Click to expand...

You know what - I disagree completely. lol

Bell was under pressure having come up the order and not got any scores for a while; on a difficult pitch where nobody has got 100 and even 50s have been rare, he breezed his way to an important little innings that helped his team to a good position in the game (that they may not have been in otherwise).

So basically a total opposite of his career, where most of his good days started when he came in at 300/3 and steadily stroked his way to a largely meaningless hundred!
 
James said:
You know what - I disagree completely. lol

Bell was under pressure having come up the order and not got any scores for a while; on a difficult pitch where nobody has got 100 and even 50s have been rare, he breezed his way to an important little innings that helped his team to a good position in the game (that they may not have been in otherwise).

So basically a total opposite of his career, where most of his good days started when he came in at 300/3 and steadily stroked his way to a largely meaningless hundred!
Click to expand...

I thought too it was a good, fluent knock, way he lost his wicket wasn't great but he played nicely till then.
 
James said:
You know what - I disagree completely. lol

Bell was under pressure having come up the order and not got any scores for a while; on a difficult pitch where nobody has got 100 and even 50s have been rare, he breezed his way to an important little innings that helped his team to a good position in the game (that they may not have been in otherwise).

So basically a total opposite of his career, where most of his good days started when he came in at 300/3 and steadily stroked his way to a largely meaningless hundred!
Click to expand...

Fair point. I was looking at it more from an angle of wasted start and wasted talent. He should have gone on. Knuckled down and made full use of his good form.
 
Saqs said:
Fair point. I was looking at it more from an angle of wasted start and wasted talent. He should have gone on. Knuckled down and made full use of his good form.
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On the surface yes, and on Wednesday evening everybody would have agreed.

However this has been a very low scoring game, so 53 looks quite skilled in context.
 
James said:
On the surface yes, and on Wednesday evening everybody would have agreed.

However this has been a very low scoring game, so 53 looks quite skilled in context.
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In context, yes. But the fact he was making it look so much easier than anybody else, only to follow it with that mode of dismissal - this will unfortunately characterise and differentiate the Ian Bell we know and the Ian Bell that could have been.

I hope for batting purists the world over that he somehow has a resurgence in form before calling it quits.
 
Looking forward to watching Bell look clueless against playing high quality spin and fast bowling in the UAE this winter :)
 
leatherface58 said:
Mahela is a Subcontinent bully but he has scored several tough runs. The tons at Galle, a brilliant match saving ton in England in 2006. Not to mention, his performances in WC and the fact that IMO, he is one of Lanka's finest captains. A shrewd tactician and a fine mentor.

Bell has none of these characteristics. An utterly forgettable player. This 50 will harm England in the long run.
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Good post. Bell has been a reasonable player but Jayawardene, Yousuf etc. were much much better. A 43 average is a nice thing to have, but it's largely meaningless. Atherton averaged 37 or something and I'm sure every England fan would take Athers all day long over Bell.
 
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Steadied the ship again under pressure with an excellent knock. This stuff about him being mentally fragile is overblown, he's played many pressure knocks
 
His contribution has been vital in this match. England's second best player after Finn.
 
Saqs said:
Really? Jimmy took seven wickets for practically zero runs.
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In a low scoring game, you have to give greater credit to the batsman. Anderson's spell was great, but he picked up some cheap wickets - Finn and Broad made some key dismissals.

Finn, Bell, Anderson - in that order for me.
 
Robert said:
Did he get MoM today? he should have done.
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Nah, Finn did. 8 wickets.

Mamoon said:
In a low scoring game, you have to give greater credit to the batsman. Anderson's spell was great, but he picked up some cheap wickets - Finn and Broad made some key dismissals.

Finn, Bell, Anderson - in that order for me.
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Fair enough about the calibre of the wickets. But then again, the reason the match was a low scoring one was because the bowlers made it so. The pitch didn't really have any demons in it.
 
Saqs said:
Nah, Finn did. 8 wickets.



Fair enough about the calibre of the wickets. But then again, the reason the match was a low scoring one was because the bowlers made it so. The pitch didn't really have any demons in it.
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Yeah, but the English batsmen didn't fare very well either - Cook, Lyth, Bairstow, Buttler and Stokes all failed. His 118 runs made a telling difference.

Finn the rightful MoM though. Got Smith in both innings and his spell in the second innings was sensational.
 
Decent enough batsman for international cricket.
 
A mediocre batsman who plays very well once in a while, or a very good batsman who is mediocre most of the time.
 
Former England batsman Ian Bell has reached 20,000 first-class runs after posting his fourth County Championship century of the 2018 English domestic campaign – more than any other player.

The Warwickshire batsman said earlier this month that he was open to an international return and vowed to continue playing “for as long as I possibly can”.

England’s top-order has struggled against India in the five-match Test series, with Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings continuing their disappointing run on the morning of the first day of the fourth Test.

Ian Bell Ian Bell
Joe Root is also struggling at No.3, so could England consider recalling a 36-year-old former hero to steady the ship? Bell’s stellar campaign has proved that he still has a lot to give.

The middle-order batsman endured a poor 2017 county cricket season with the bat and admitted that he considered walking away from the game. A complete break from cricket during the off-season has appeared to work wonders.

At the time of writing, Bell is batting for Warwickshire against Glamorgan and has 788 County Championship Division Two runs and counting in 2018, with an average upwards of 60.

Bell has played 118 matches for England, scoring 7,727 runs at 42.69. His last Test outing was against Pakistan in Sharjah in November 2015, and he is eighth on the list of England’s all-time leading run-scorers.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/838951
 
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I feel it would be a regressive move if England recall Bell right now ahead of someone like Vince, who has also been in stellar form for Hampshire.
 
Vince & pope are already there so there is no point over picking bell.
Selectors should look for future and pick dan Lawrence for middle order bat. Lawrence is also an ideal player for upcoming srilanka tour.
 
Bell to open with Cook from the next Test onwards and for the 12 months after that.

Yes he is a stop-gap solution but Jennings is really, really awful and we need more time to find some long-term openers to replace Cook (it’s been 6 years and we still haven’t replaced Strauss!)

Also Bell is highly experienced and has faced a lot of top quality bowling. He might just come into the side and be mega.
 
I have always liked Bell. Technically very good and very pleasing on the eye. Whilst he is capable of playing some majestic knocks, he is also capable of going through a patch of awful form. Also has issues mentality. Would be surprised if he is recalled as some are predicting.
 
Good player but dont think he will work now. He averaged 40 over his career and at this point he must have regressed himself only.
 
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