Ian Bell targets England Test recall ahead of Ashes series

Ian Bell admits he is targeting an England Test return as he looks to make Ashes history.

The Warwickshire captain is preparing for the start of the County Championship season which gets underway on Friday, April 7, but hopes he can add to his 118 Test caps.

The 34-year-old last played for England on their tour of the UAE to play Pakistan in November 2015, just a few months after winning his fifth Ashes series.

Sir Ian Botham and Wilfred Rhodes are the only other Englishmen to have played in five Ashes-winning series and Bell wants to top them if he can earn a recall.

"You always think about it," said Bell. "I still have ambitions to play for England. I've been lucky enough to win five Ashes, no one has ever won six so there's always that carrot for me if I was lucky enough to get into that squad.

"There's no doubt, on an individual level, to be part of a squad which wins six would be something pretty special.

"I have that drive to do it, but winning games for Warwickshire and scoring runs is my main aim. If anything comes on top of that then great.

"Initially having been left out of the team, I didn't know what to do going forward. But having had a bit of time away from it, I realise I really have missed it.

"I'd been on the road a long time and I look back on whether I should have taken a break after the Ashes and had six months away from it. I don't know if that would have been the right move or not.

"I didn't want to take the easy option though, I wanted to fight my way through.

"I enjoyed playing in the Big Bash with the Perth Scorchers last winter which was about as close to playing international cricket without playing for England.

"And I am very lucky to play at a great club like Warwickshire, I'm enjoying my cricket and we have a great team.

"I won't be the only one with ambitions to get into that England team."