Ian Bell is back with the England team and is rearing to have a go. Bell flew back to Kolkata two days ahead of the England team’s arrival here after missing the second Test, says a report in the Daily Mail.
‘I managed to get as far as Mumbai when the baby arrived. I would have been there had he been on time but he couldn’t wait! It worked out well, though, in that they came home early so I could spend more time with them.’
Bell struggled in the first Test at Ahmedabad, he was out first ball playing a rash shot in the first innings, on that he said, “Maybe, sometimes, I’ve tried a bit too hard. And that shot in Ahmedabad was a sign of me saying, “Right, I’m coming at you”. But after what has happened in the last week or so, my whole attitude has changed. Maybe I’ve put a bit too much on myself in the past and beat myself up, but now I just want to go out and trust my ability.”
“I have no regrets about going home — parenthood is the best thing that has ever happened to me. It has given me more of a balance and I can enjoy every day I’m with the England team. That’s what I want to do — go out, not worry about things and enjoy my cricket,’ he said
Meanwhile, The Indian Express reports that Jonathan Trott was the first man to enter the Eden Gardens nets as England began their preparations for the third Test. For the next two hours England’s No.3 was seen putting his head down and practising against the spinners.
“Trott has been going through a lean period. After an ordinary home series against South Africa, he is finding it difficult to get into the groove in India as well. With scores of 0, 17 and 0 in the first two Tests, he has failed to lend the solidity expected from someone with such an impressive Test record. In 36 Tests Trott has scored 2,693 runs at 48.08. But so far in India, he has failed to counter the spin challenge,” says the report.