But it was Bell's anchoring role in England's victory over South Africa's second string in Kimberley last week, finishing unbeaten on 87, that convinced captain Michael Vaughan and coach Duncan Fletcher they must find room for him on a regular basis.
At that stage there appeared to be no obvious vacancy for the youngster once players such as Vaughan and Andrew Strauss, who were rested in Kimberley, returned to the team. England, though, were determined to make room.
The fall guy in Johannesburg last Sunday was Vikram Solanki, this despite the fact he had scored a century in his last one-day international - against Zimbabwe less than two months ago.
As it happened, Bell never made it to the crease at The Wanderers with England winning for the loss of just three wickets.
Vaughan, though, made it plain why he had been picked: "It was a tough decision (to drop Solanki) but we just see something in Ian. I just want to see him play international cricket because I think he's that good."
With Mark Butcher and Robert Key both failing to convince at No3 in the recent series, another opportunity at Test level could beckon for Bell should he grab hold of the chance handed to him in this limited-overs series.
England were expected to be unchanged for today's second match, unlike South Africa who have shown a remarkable ability this winter to pick the wrong XI on almost every occasion.
Last Sunday was a case in point with an in-form and super-confident Abraham de Villiers left on the sidelines while Adam Bacher, an opener by trade, was recalled for his first game in seven years and promptly pushed into the middle order.
Captain Graeme Smith denies falling out with his selectors. But he and they were under pressure to produce a win tonight beneath the Goodyear Park floodlights.
