Reports: ECB to restore the role of national selector, Ian Bell emerges as the leading candidate

The position was abolished following England’s 0-4 loss to Australia last year.

Former England batter Ian Bell is a top contender for the role of national selector for the Men’s Cricket Team. After the role was controversially abolished last year, the Managing Director Rob Key is planning to fill the position. Bell played 118 Tests and 161 One-day Internationals (ODI) and played his last match for England in 2015.

Former Managing Director Ashley Giles, during his tenure, eliminated the role of the national selector to “restructure” the selection process of the team. This happened in the wake of the team’s 4-0 series loss to Australia during the Ashes 2021-22 and the then selector Ed Smith’s role was abolished, with the head coach, Chris Silverwood, taking the responsibility of squad selection.

Daily Mail has reported that now Key is keen to reinstate the position of national selector and Bell has emerged as a candidate for the role. It is also believed that the board is planning to split the roles for Test and limited-overs cricket, like for the coaching team. Former New Zealand batter Brendon McCullum is currently the head coach of the Test team, and former coach of Australian women’s team Matthew Mott is the current head coach of England’s limited-overs team.

Some of the current England players have also played with Ian Bell

Meanwhile, some of the current England players have formerly played alongside Bell in the team including Ben Stokes who took over the role of Test captain from Joe Root who stepped down after the series loss against West Indies. Bell, a former top-order right-hand batter, is regarded as one of the best English batters of all time.

He made his international debut in 2004 and scored 7,727 runs in Tests at an average of 42.69, with 22 hundred with the top score being 235. He scored 5,416 runs in ODI at an average of 37.87, with four hundred and 35 fifties, and has a top score of 141. Bell also scored 20,440 runs in first-class cricket with 57 hundred and 105 fifties.