Rejuvenated Ian Bell hails Graham Gooch net sessions

London: England batsman Ian Bell has hailed former batting coach Graham Gooch for laying the foundations for his stylish 167-run knock against India in the third Test.

Bell had gone 20 Test innings without a century prior to last week`s match at Southampton and he has revealed that a one-on-one session with Gooch in Edgbaston after the second Test was the secret behind his return to form.

"We have a really good set-up with England, but sometimes it`s nice to have another set of eyes," the Warwickshire batsman told Monday`s edition of the Daily Mail.

"I used to have Neil Abberley here at Warwickshire, someone you could chat through a few things with. Because they`re not so attached to the game, there`s less emotion involved, and it`s nice to do that with Goochy -- a net session with someone who can help me reconnect in a different way."

Gooch, England`s all-time leading scorer in Test matches, was released by the England and Wales Cricket Board in May, but he continues to play an active role in Bell`s preparations for matches.

"He does one-on-one net sessions really well. He never goes through the motions," Bell said.

"He puts you under the pump, which is where you are in a Test match. He never gets over-complicated or technical. It`s about making sure you`re in the right frame of mind.

"As Goochy always says, you should always be looking to score runs, not just to survive. It`s nice to refresh that from time to time. Generally we`re always exchanging text messages.

"And if he`s available I try to make the most of him for a couple of hours. If I get the chance, I`d like to keep doing that."

England`s 266-run victory in the third Test allowed them to level the five-match series at 1-1. The fourth Test begins at Old Trafford on Thursday.