English batsman Ian Bell has always been known for his rock solid defense along with appropriate stroke-play. Despite the fact that Bell failed to make his mark in the Under-19 World Cup held in Sri Lanka in 2000, but most of the cricketing pundits said that he was a bright prospect for England.

Bell had made his First-Class debut for Warwickshire in 1999, but during the 2011 Ashes, the fortunes took a drastic turn for Bell in the County circuit. Bell’s century against Nottinghamshire that season at Edgbaston, what with Warwickshire reeling at 30 for three gave a glimpse of his supreme skills.

However, in 2014, Ian has risked the disapproval of England’s team director Andy Flower by joining Kevin Pietersen as the only regular England Test players to put their names forward for the auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL). He also entered the auction – at a tempting price of only $160,000.

In 2004, Bell made his Test debut against the West Indies at Oval and made a fine half-century. When he got a chance to play against underdogs, Bangladesh in 2005, he played a crucial knock and notched up his first century at Chester-le-Street. However, Bell looked out of his depth in Ashes 2005. It was his ton against Pakistan in 2005-06 at Faisalabad that finally showed Bell can step up to the plate against the best in the business.

Since then he has taken his game to compelling heights for England. Bell’s 199 against South Africa in 2008 at Lord’s, battling knock of 72 at the Oval in Ashes 2009, a century at Durban in 2009-10, double ton against India at the Oval in 2011 and his three centuries in Ashes 2013 glitter in gold. In 2014, Bell went onto play his 100th Test against Sri Lanka. It was another landmark moment in an impressive career. Bell has also been a prolific run-getter in ODIs.