Ian Bell still has a future in the England one-day set-up according to coach Andy Flower, despite being dropped for the upcoming series against Pakistan.
Bell was axed after averaging a mere 8.50 in the recent three-match Test series as he struggled to come to terms with Pakistan spin duo Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman.
However, Bell has been given hope of earning a recall by Flower, whose side are 5/2 to ease the pain of a 3-0 Test whitewash by winning the four-match ODI series.
Flower said: “I did say to him that this doesn’t mean that his one-day career is necessarily over. He’s not too old to fight his way back into the side.”
Bell has played in just over 100 ODIs to date, making a single century against India in August 2007, while passing 50 on a further 19 occasions.
However, he has registered just one half-century in his last 14 innings, that coming against India at Lord’s in September of last year.