Former England batting legend Ian Bell will now be a part of Sri Lanka’s coaching side for the upcoming tour of England that has three Tests. The series is scheduled to start on August 21 and Bell will be joining the team five days prior that is August 16.
Ian Bell’s Stellar Records
Bell has represented England from 2004-2015 and the veteran batsmen has some commendable records in the longest format, he has played 118 Tests and has over 7700 runs at an average under 50. This includes 68 scores of fifty and above and 22 centuries. His patience in the game is what made him sail smoothly even through a situation of crisis and handle big tournaments like the Ashes.
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Bell Appointed As Sri Lanka’s New Batting Coach For Test Series Against England
The Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) decision to make him the batting coach comes with a vision to make the right changes and get the guidance for Sri Lanka’s Test team. Bell’s deep understanding of the conditions in England will provide an invaluable advantage to Sri Lanka’s team.
“We appointed Ian to bring in a person with local knowledge to help the players with key insights on the conditions there. Ian has a lot of experience playing in England, and we believe his inputs will help our team in this crucial tour,” said Ashley De Silva, CEO of SLC.
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The stakes are high for Sri Lanka, as the series against England will be a part of the ICC World Test Championship where every point is significant. Ian Bell’s inclusion as the batting coach will bring in the required experience as his insightful take on handling the swing, seam and bounce of England pitches will provide the team a tactical advantage to succeed in Test cricket. The collaboration with Sanath Jayasuriya can prove to be extremely advantageous as the dynamic duo that will bring in a deep understanding of the game.