A right-handed higher/middle order batsman, described in The Times as an "exquisite rapier,"[3] with a strong cover drive, Bell was also an occasional right-arm medium pace bowler and a slip fielder.

In the 2006 New Year Honours List, Bell was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire for his role in the successful Ashes campaign of 2005.

[4] In November 2015, England selectors announced that Bell would be dropped from the English side ahead of the test series with South Africa.

[14] The day after he returned home from Adelaide he was brought into the full England Test squad to cover for the injured Mark Butcher on the New Zealand tour.

The centuries in both innings against Lancashire were the first by a Warwickshire batsman against an authentic attack (David Hemp achieved the feat against declaration bowling) since Brian Lara in 1994.

[16] This run of form led to him being brought into the England Test squad when Graham Thorpe was left doubtful with a finger injury.

In 2005, Bell enjoyed a superb start to the season, scoring 480 first-class runs in April alone to break Graeme Hick's 17-year-old record.

[23] Bell failed in the first two matches, at Lord's and Edgbaston, but in the third Test at Old Trafford he overcame early struggles against Shane Warne to post a half-century in each innings.

However, he only scored six runs in four innings in the fourth and fifth Tests, including a pair at the Oval, leaving him with a batting average for the series of only 17.10,[24] by far the lowest of the English batsmen.

[26] This form on the subcontinent continued on 18 February 2006 in England's first warm-up game prior to the Test series against India when Bell top-scored with 78 at Mumbai.

He was named in the squad of 13 for the first home Test of the summer, against Sri Lanka, but with the return of Marcus Trescothick, coupled with the good form of Paul Collingwood and the emergence of Alastair Cook, Bell was dropped from the starting 11.

He also played in the ODI series against Pakistan, achieving his two highest scores at the time: 88 at Sophia Gardens and 86* at Trent Bridge, the latter earning him the man-of-the-match award following England's victory.

England lost their first two games (to India and Australia) and crashed out of the tournament despite a final group-stage win over eventual runners-up, West Indies.

At the start of the tournament he was selected to bat at number three, as England lost to New Zealand and stuttered to wins over Kenya, Canada and Ireland.

Along with Alastair Cook, Paul Collingwood and Matt Prior, they became the first four batsmen for England since 1938 to each score a century in the same Test match.

[32] Bell initially struggled for form as England opened its five-game ODI series against New Zealand with two heavy defeats, scoring just 5 and 0.

[citation needed] In the first Test match at Hamilton, Bell was hit hard on the wrist during New Zealand's first innings, whilst fielding at short leg.

[citation needed] Despite initial fears that his wrist was broken and his tour would be over, the blow turned out to have only caused swelling and bruising.

[citation needed] Bell reacted well to being dropped and began to consistently score runs in the county championship that led to him being named in the 16-man training party for the tests against Australia and captain of the England Lions for their game against Australia, though he failed in that match, scoring 0 (a golden duck) and 20,[45] and remained on the sidelines for the first two Tests of the series.

[citation needed] Bell was selected to play in the third Test at Edgbaston, his home ground, replacing the injured Kevin Pietersen.

Bell was dismissed by Mitchell Johnson four times in his five innings in the series, and had scored 140 runs at an average of only 28, though with two half centuries.

[citation needed] He did return to action for his county Warwickshire towards the end of the season, scoring a match-winning century as acting captain in the CB40 final against Somerset.

[citation needed] Bell made 52 in the first innings against Sri Lanka but England went on to lose the game by 75 runs, their fourth straight Test defeat.

Bell was named in the 14 member squad for the three-match NatWest ODI series against West Indies starting on 16 June at Southampton.

[citation needed] Ian Bell started off rather ordinarily in this tour, as he struggled against the Indian spinners on slow spinning and dry pitches.

[citation needed] This unbeaten century on the spinning, dry pitch ensured a stale draw on the 4th Test to win the series 2–1.

[citation needed] Then in January 2013, he scored 91 (from 89 balls) in the Palam A Ground at Delhi against India A before being dismissed by Mohit Sharma.

[citation needed] Two days later, he scored 108 against Delhi cricket team (dismissed by leg spinner Varun Sood), yet again in a losing cause.

On 28 July in the third test against India at The Rose Bowl, Southampton, Bell scored a century in the first innings by hitting a six against Ravindra Jadeja when he was at 94 not out.

Following the removal of Alistair Cook as ODI captain, Bell returned to the top of the order for the tournament against Australia and India.