🔗 Share this article

England's captain Ben Stokes is said to be "exhausted" but still "fit and ready" to deliver overs, per team coach Jeetan Patel, despite he abstained from bowling on the day three of a critical Ashes Test.

Stokes utilized five other bowlers as the Australian side moved to 271-4 in their second innings, building a substantial advantage of 356 runs at the venue.

The versatile all-rounder had earlier battled for more than five hours at the wicket over two days to score 83 runs in England's first innings.

A Grueling Innings

During his marathon 198-ball stay, the 34-year-old was struck on the head by a fast bowler and experienced bouts of cramp. He also needed a period off the field on the previous day after hitting his head on the turf while trying to field the ball.

"He could be a bit tired and just need a bit of time to himself right now," stated Patel.

"Based on my knowledge, he's pretty fit to bowl. I think he's just really exhausted and he's taken a lot out of himself to get through this point in the match."

Past Fitness Concerns

Given his complicated injury history – Stokes has not played a full part in any of England's last four series – any suggestion the star all-rounder might be carrying a problem attracts considerable scrutiny.

Always keen to be in the thick of the action, Stokes' absence from the attack on Friday was puzzling given it was England's final opportunity to remain alive in the Ashes series.

At trailing 2-0 and needing to win in Adelaide to keep their hopes of winning back the Ashes intact, England had conceded a first-innings deficit of 85 runs.

"All I know is he goes at 100%," remarked Patel. "If he thinks he can't do it at 100%, I don't think he's going to do it. That's probably where he's at."

The tourists could have remained in the match by bowling out Australia for approximately 240 in their second knock and had slim hopes at certain scorelines, only for the home team to pull away through Travis Head's not out 142.

Even though England delivered 66 overs, Stokes did not use himself.

"He didn't bowl but that's perhaps a separate conversation with him," noted ex-New Zealand player Patel.

"I don't actually know. We all know he doesn't do anything at 80%. Maybe he thought he was a risk, so he didn't bowl."

Precedent and Pressure

The most recent occasion Stokes curtailed his own bowling was on the final day of the drawn fourth Test against India at Old Trafford in July.

He afterwards was absent for the fifth Test at The Oval with a shoulder injury.

Stokes has a reputation of pushing his body to its absolute limit, and it was put to Patel that the captain felt he might have risked injury if he pushed himself any further in Adelaide.

Facing Imminent Loss

England are on the verge of yet another defeat in Australia, once again likely to be beaten inside the first three Tests of the series.

If the tourists' loss is sealed on Saturday's fourth day, it would mean the outcome of the Ashes has been determined in 10 days – the first and second Tests were over in short periods respectively.

Not since 1921, when Australia needed only eight playing days to win in England, has the victor of an Ashes series been determined so swiftly.

A Daunting Task Ahead

If a primary objective is to extend this match into a final day, England will also have to pull off the highest successful chase at the Adelaide Oval to keep the series ongoing.

"I remain convinced there's an chance for us," said Patel. "It won't be easy, we're going to need something magical. I think it's high time we saw something magical from us."

"Three games in, we've thrown some but taken a lot. It's time, now we're with our backs to the wall, to throw some haymakers."