Bell is Perfectly Placed to Step In

No one may want to believe it, but Kevin Pietersen has been officially ruled out for the rest of the Ashes series due to a troublesome Achilles injury.

The talented batsman has played through both the Twenty20 World Cup and the opening two test matches in this year Ashes series with the injury but after an operation on Wednesday Pietersen has been ruled out for a six-week period, thereby destroying his chances of appearing for his country in the remainder of this series.

His loss to the team is obviously a huge blow as his unique ability with the bat has made him one of the most feared batsman in world cricket, and as his average would suggest he thrives on playing against the men from down under.

His form in this series hasn’t helped his reputation however, with his injury clearly a distraction from his expansive batting technique.

Despite him playing on with the injury it was hurting the side’s batting line-up and run rate, not something the side should justify just so an injured player can play.

If England are now to go on to lose the series maybe the petulant journalists in the press who were asking for his head after his dismissal in Cardiff might think again before slating England’s world class batsman, his loss to the side is that huge that the series is now in real doubt.

His replacement is sure to be Ian Bell, a man in the form of his life with his county after two first class centuries already this season.

The Warwickshire batsman has really gone about his business well trying to reclaim his England place and he looks set to be rewarded after Pietersen’s injury scare.

Bell could even have been drafted in to replace Ravi Bopara who has seemed overwhelmed by the Ashes experience, but now it seems like the two will line up together at Edgbaston and beyond.

Bell doesn’t just bring a solid batting approach to the side, but in the field he is electric at short leg, and although Alastair Cook has taken up the position as late I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bell inserted their the next time Graeme Swann lines up to bowl.

His exuberant batting style is very much in keeping with Pietersen’s, so in terms of ticking the runs along he certainly has the ability; the only reservation might be over his pedigree against the Australians.

In his twenty innings against the Aussies he has six fifty’s but four ducks at an average of 25, not particularly impressive for a man whose set to lead England’s Ashes quest.

Bell’s average really is poor against the greater nations Australia and India while he excels against the likes of Pakistan whom he has four centuries against.

But Bell is a greater player than he was when he met the Aussies last in 2007, and now he’s been given a second chance in international cricket he is sure to grasp it with both hands.

So even with Pietersen’s departure from the series, and the Aussies delight at his absence there’s a player who more than ready to step into his boots, and with the third test due to be played at Bell’s home ground of Edgbaston the stage is set perfectly for his international renaissance.