Bell, a veteran of 43 Tests, told Reuters that after the exit of experienced players such as Marcus Trescothick, Ashley Giles and Matthew Hoggard it was time for him to be recognised as an elder statesman.
"I am now recognising in both the one-dayers and the Tests I am one of the more senior players and that I need to go out and play like that," Bell said in an interview.
"It's an exciting thing for me to be seen as one of the senior players and to go out there and have a responsibility to deliver. It's a role I'm looking forward to having for a while, to try to lead by example.
"It's something I want to do as I have played enough Test matches. I have made a switch in the batting order, from five to three, and there is an opportunity to cement my place," he said at an even organised by England's Test sponsor npower.
Bell said he had already sampled life as a senior during the one-day series.
Without former captain Michael Vaughan and with Andrew Flintoff and Andrew Strauss missing in the home series against New Zealand in June, he was the second longest serving England regular behind then one-day skipper Paul Collingwood.
"It has been like that in the one-dayers for a while and it is something I have enjoyed and I have been able to be very vocal in team meetings," added Bell.
TEST BEST
"Hopefully it will be the same in the Test matches and my performances against South Africa, the form team in world cricket, show I have improved this summer. I am desperate for that to continue."
Bell made a Test best 199 at Lord's in the opening Test against South Africa last month.
He agreed with Pietersen's comments on Monday that England were capable of regaining the Ashes from world champions Australia at home in 2009, despite losing two of their last three home series to India and South Africa.
Bell reasoned that England had opportunities to beat South Africa in the first Test and the third when the touring side clinched the series. The team just needed to be more ruthless, Bell said.
"The ability is in the dressing room to win the Ashes, I don't think anyone would doubt that," said Bell. "The one thing we need to do as a side which we haven't done too well is to be consistent.
"We scored almost 600 at Lord's and then followed that up by scoring 200 twice in the first innings of the next two Tests. When you are playing Australia or South Africa you can't do that, it's too big a gap to come back into games.
"So I agree with Kevin that we have the players to win the Ashes but it is up to us to get that consistency back. It is no good being hot one day and cold the next." (Editing by Rex Gowar)
