Ashes 2021: Ian Bell bats for restoration of selection panel – Losses against India (away), New Zealand and trailing against India at home followed by humiliating Ashes loss have forced England to introspect. Former England skippers have called for an overhaul and chipping in, former batter Ian Bell has proposed restoration of the selection panel to curtail power of Chris Silverwood and Test skipper Joe Root. Follow AUS vs ENG Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
England made the chief selector’s post redundant giving more power to the coach and the captain in April. Ed Smith, who had held the post for three years, left in April. Since then the responsibility of picking the national squads lies with head coach Chris Silverwood while captains Joe Root and Eoin Morgan help him in selecting the playing XIs.
Ashes 2021: After Ashes disaster, Ian Bell proposes resurrection of England’s Selection Panel, says ‘Need another set of eyes’
But with a string of embarrassing losses, Ian Bell proposes reviving the panel and taking the power back from Chris Silverwood. England currently trail 0-3 in the Ashes after folding for just 68 runs in the second innings of the 3rd Test.
“One of the hardest things, and I was very shocked if I’m honest with you, was when we went away from the chairman of selectors thing. Even looking at it from a player’s point of view you’re not stupid enough to think (Chris Silverwood) is not part of selection, but since he is head selector, how would you have the honest conversations with the head coach and say, ‘I might be struggling a little bit here’, because he is the man who’s making all the decisions,” Ian Bell told ‘Sportsday’.
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Ashes 2021: After Ashes disaster, Ian Bell proposes resurrection of England’s Selection Panel, says ‘Need another set of eyes’
The 39-year-old, who has played 118 Tests, 161 ODIs and 8 T20Is for England, feels someone who is not present in the dressing room and not interacting with players on a daily basis will be more suited for the job.
“I think you need a chairman of selectors who sits outside of the dressing room sometimes, who’s not attached to all the players emotionally or what’s going on a daily basis and can actually see things from a different set of eyes, which I think is really important,” Ian Bell said.
England’s selection over the past three matches has been met with sharp criticism.
Pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad were rested on a bowler-friendly pitch in Brisbane while Mark Wood and spinner Jack Leach were dropped from the Adelaide Test where the pitch aided spinners.
Ashes 2021: After Ashes disaster, Ian Bell proposes resurrection of England’s Selection Panel, says ‘Need another set of eyes’
“England must manage pressure points in the game better”
England captain Joe Root insists they have the “best 18 players from the county game” on tour in Australia#Ashes pic.twitter.com/iM9v85SL6z
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 28, 2021
Down 0-2, Silverwood made four changes going into the Boxing Day Test but to no avail as England succumbed to an embarrassing innings and 14-run loss inside three days at the MCG.
The changes yielded no result as Australia took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-Test series to retain the Urn.
“When you look at it now, you look at some of the selections we’ve had and decisions we’ve made at the toss, it’s been very internal, there’s not been a lot of advice from those outside who aren’t in those day-to-day training sessions and in the bubble and it all becomes a bit emotional. They need another set of eyes helping them to make these decisions,” Ian Bell said.
Ashes 2021: After Ashes disaster, Ian Bell proposes resurrection of England’s Selection Panel, says ‘Need another set of eyes’
