The England batsman Ian Bell is retiring from one-day internationals to concentrate on prolonging his test career.
England's Ian Bell plays a shot on the first day of the third Ashes cricket test match. Photo: AFP
The 33-year-old, who has scored an England record 5,416 runs in 161 one-dayers, was left out of the squad for the five-match series against Australia starting next week.
He helped his team win this year's Ashes, a record-equalling fifth test series victory for him over the Australians, but averaged only 26.87 with the bat.
"Deep down I probably knew I wasn't ready to call time on my test career," said Bell.
Bell has scored 7,569 runs in 115 tests at an average of 43, including 22 centuries.
"I've a huge amount still to give in the test arena and still have so many ambitions left to achieve, both from a personal and a team perspective," he said.
"I would love nothing more than to go to Australia in two years' time and right the wrongs of our last Ashes tour there," the right-hander added in reference to the 5-0 whitewash last year.
"I'm not afraid of being dropped. I'm looking forward to challenging myself and putting myself into difficult situations against the best players in the world."
