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The team skipper Ben Stokes is said to be "exhausted" but still "fit and ready" to bowl, per assistant coach Jeetan Patel, despite he did not bowl on the day three of a critical Ashes Test.

Stokes utilized five other bowlers as Australia moved to 271-4 in their follow-on, building a commanding lead of 356 runs at the Adelaide Oval.

The dynamic player had earlier spent over five hours at the wicket over two days to compile 83 runs in England's initial batting effort.

A Grueling Innings

Throughout his marathon 198-ball innings, the veteran cricketer was struck on the head by Mitchell Starc and suffered muscle cramps. He also needed a period off the field on Friday after banging his head on the turf while attempting a stop.

"He could 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."

Past Fitness Concerns

Considering his complicated injury history – Stokes has not been fully available in any of England's last four series – any suggestion the star all-rounder might be nursing an issue attracts significant attention.

Always keen to be in the thick of the action, Stokes' absence from the attack on Friday was puzzling given it was England's last chance to remain alive 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%," said 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 tourists could have remained in the contest by bowling out Australia for approximately 240 in their second knock and had slim hopes at certain scorelines, only for the hosts to accelerate away through Travis Head's not out 142.

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

"He abstained from bowling but that's probably a separate conversation with him," said ex-New Zealand player Patel.

"I'm not entirely sure. We all know he never performs at 80%. Maybe he thought he was a risk, 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 injury.

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

On the Brink of Defeat

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

If the visitors' defeat is sealed on day four, it would mean the destination of the Ashes has been determined in 10 days – the first and second Tests were over in two and four days respectively.

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

A Formidable Challenge

If a primary objective is to prolong the game 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 still believe there's an chance for us," stated Patel. "It won't be easy, we're going to need something extraordinary. I think it's high time we saw something special from us."

"Three games in, we've thrown some but absorbed many. It's about time, now we're with our backs to the wall, to fight back fiercely."