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Ian Bell - Source: Photosport -
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Ian Bell is about to find the Australian team may have changed, but not their attitude towards him.
The English right-hander is set to make his Ashes return on his home wicket at Edgbaston in next week's third Test following Kevin Pietersen's series-ending Achilles surgery.
Shane Warne won't be on the field taunting him about his similarities to nerdy character "Sherminator" from the movie American Pie.
And Glenn McGrath won't be teasing him with his line and length.
But the Australians will still like their chances against the in-form Warwickshire batsman.
In the last two Ashes series, Bell scored 502 runs at just 25.10 from 10 matches, having always promised more than he delivered.
And it was not because of his skills but rather his questionable temperament.
The Australians feel they can get under his skin and having rolled him for a duck and 20 in the tour match at Worcester this month wouldn't hurt either.
Bell said before the announcement that Pietersen underwent surgery on Wednesday that he would relish another shot at Ricky Ponting's men.
"Having faced the Aussies before, I know what to expect from them and once you have appeared at Test level you want to carry on playing against the best players in the world," he said.
Bell, 27, has been in excellent touch on the county scene this season, making 640 runs at 80.00 in eight first-class outings prior to the latest round of matches.
But on the day when his Test return seemed assured, he was beaten three times in an over by Chris Tremlett before being caught behind for seven.
Bell said falling out of favour on England's tour of the Caribbean this year had re-energised him.
"In a way, being out of the Test side has helped refresh me and evaluate," he said.
"I got some texts from the lads at Lord's after England had won and that made me still feel part of the international set-up.
"I am in great form at the moment so I would not worry about being called into the team, especially as it would be at Edgbaston."
