England's Ian Bell proved he certainly retains the hunger to continue... but days like this can test even the most dedicated

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Between lunch and tea on the second day of the third Test, Ian Bell batted as if his career depended on it. Perhaps, in his own mind, it did.

England's selectors will not necessarily make the decision for him: this remains an inexperienced batting line-up, and Bell has 22 of the team's 34 Test hundreds that have not been scored by Alastair Cook.

But, watching him knuckle down out here in the UAE, it has been hard to forget his own deliberations after the Ashes, when he considered calling it a day. It is hardly second-guessing him to suggest that, after 118 Tests and at the age of 33, the end is not far away.

England's Ian Bell bats during day two of the 3rd Test against Pakistan at Sharjah Cricket Stadium

England's Bell batted as if his career depended on it as they took on Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates

Bell watches the ball after making contact during day two of the 3rd Test at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium

The net effect is that England's No 3 appears to be in a strange kind of limbo. Should he play the role of elder statesman, relegating his own style to the needs of the team? Or can he afford to be the Ashes eye candy of 2013, when his late cut lit up a summer?

As Bell moved from 24 at lunch to 40 at tea, the debate seemed to answer itself. Out in the desert, he has been taking his responsibilities very seriously indeed. Frivolities are out. Forward defensives are very much in.

By the time he fell in the second over of the final session for 40 from 158 balls, he had faced 495 in the series, scoring a total of 158. Eleven of them he has hit for four, and one – an early blow here off the left-arm spin of Zulfiqar Babar – for six. He has rarely batted so painstakingly in his life.

It was difficult to be too harsh. Bell had done well to shepherd England to lunch after the early loss of Moeen Ali, and then resembled the last bastion once Cook and Joe Root had fallen within five overs of each other after the break.

Another quick wicket and – with Ben Stokes incapacitated by his shoulder – England could have subsided as quickly as they did on the third morning in Dubai.

'It wasn't the best knock of my life, but I feel I've contributed to scrapping out a tough day of Test cricket,' said Bell. 

'I only made 16 runs in that session, but for me it was about recognising a key period in the game, when they reverse-swinging it.

England batsmen Bell is stumped by Pakistan's Sarfraz Ahmed in the United Arab Emirates on Monday

Bell leaves the field after being stumped out by Pakistan's Shah during Monday's action in Sharjah, UAE

'It's been a tricky time for me, but I'm starting to feel like my rhythm's coming back. You're not going to score at five an over on pitches like that.'

Even so, the inertia put the onus on James Taylor, playing his first Test for more than three years, and Bell's failure to look for quick singles limited England to 48 runs in the afternoon session.

After he had been stumped for only the second time in his Test career, Jonny Bairstow joined Taylor to produce the best running between the wickets of England's tour. It made what preceded it look a little pedestrian.

Bell says he retains the hunger, but days such as these can test even the most dedicated.