England batsman Ian Bell announces retirement from professional cricket

Ian Bell. Pic/AFP

Realising that his days as an England player are long gone, former stylish batsman Ian Bell on Saturday announced he will retire from all forms of cricket at the end of the 2020 domestic season. The five-time Ashes winner has spent his entire career with Warwickshire. Bell has scored 7727 runs, including 22 hundreds, at an average of 42.69 in 118 Test matches while in the ODIs, he has 5,416 runs in 161 matches."

"It's with enormous sadness, but with equal pride, that I am announcing my retirement from professional cricket," Bell said in a statement. The stylish Bell, known for his exquisite cover drives, was Man of the Series in one of the five Ashes triumphs and was also part of England's memorable Test series triumph on Indian soil in 2012. "While my hunger and enthusiasm for the sport that I love remain as strong as ever, my body simply can't keep up with the demands of the game to the standard of which I expect of myself," Bell added.

Bell, 38, retired from ODIs in 2015 to focus on Test cricket, but ironically, played his last five-day game for England the same year. Bell has never played a Test match since November 2015, failing to add to his 118 caps. "It's true when they say you know when the time's right, and unfortunately, my time is now," the 38-year-old said.

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