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

Stokes deployed a quintet of alternative bowlers as the Australian side progressed to 271-4 in their second innings, establishing a commanding lead of 356 runs at the Adelaide Oval.

The versatile all-rounder had earlier battled for more than five hours at the crease over two days to score 83 runs in England's initial batting effort.

A Grueling Innings

During his marathon 198-ball stay, the veteran cricketer was struck on the head by a fast bowler and suffered muscle cramps. He also needed a period off the field on the previous day after banging his head on the turf while trying to field the ball.

"He might be a bit tired and just require some 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 expended a great deal out of himself to reach this point in the game."

Injury History Scrutiny

Given his complicated injury past – Stokes has not been fully available in any of England's last four series – any indication the star all-rounder might be nursing an issue attracts considerable scrutiny.

Always keen to be in the heat of battle, Stokes' absence from the attack on Friday was puzzling given it was England's final opportunity to stay in the Ashes series.

At trailing 2-0 and requiring a victory in Adelaide to keep their aspirations of winning back the Ashes intact, England had given up a first-innings deficit of 85 runs.

"My understanding 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 likely where he's at."

The visiting side could have stayed within the contest by bowling out Australia for approximately 240 in their second knock and had faint chances at 53-2 and 149-4, only for the home team to accelerate away through Travis Head's not out 142.

Even though England delivered 66 overs, Stokes chose not to bowl.

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

"I'm not entirely sure. We all know he doesn't do anything at 80%. Maybe he thought he was a liability, so he didn't bowl."

Past Instances and Current Strain

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 subsequently missed the fifth Test at The Oval with a shoulder problem.

Stokes has a history of driving himself to its absolute limit, and it was put to Patel that the captain felt he might have risked injury if he exerted himself any further in Adelaide.

On the Brink of Defeat

England stand on the edge 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 decided in 10 days – the first and second Tests were over in short periods respectively.

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

A Formidable Challenge

If a first goal is to extend this match into a fifth day, England will also have to pull off the highest successful chase at the Adelaide Oval to keep the series alive.

"I still believe there's an opportunity for us," said Patel. "It will be difficult, we're going to need something magical. I think it's high time we witnessed something magical from us."

"After three matches, we've landed some blows but absorbed many. It's time, now we're backed into a corner, to fight back fiercely."