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The team skipper Ben Stokes is said to be "worn out" but still "fit and ready" to deliver overs, per assistant coach Jeetan Patel, even though he abstained from bowling on the third day of a pivotal Ashes Test.

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

The dynamic player had earlier spent over five hours at the wicket over two days to score 83 runs in England's first innings.

A Grueling Innings

Throughout his extended 198-ball stay, the 34-year-old was hit on the helmet by a fast bowler and experienced bouts of cramp. He also needed a period off the field on Friday after banging his head on the turf while trying to field the ball.

"He could be a little fatigued and just need a bit of time to himself right now," commented Patel.

"Based on my knowledge, he's quite ready to bowl. I think he's just pretty knackered and he's expended a great deal out of himself to reach this point in the match."

Injury History Scrutiny

Given his chequered injury history – Stokes has not been fully available in any of England's previous four series – any suggestion the star all-rounder might be carrying a problem attracts considerable scrutiny.

Eager to be in the heat of battle, Stokes' decision not to bowl on Friday was puzzling given it was England's last chance to stay in the Ashes series.

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

"My understanding is he operates 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 probably where he's at."

The visiting side could have stayed within the contest by bowling out Australia for approximately 240 in their second innings and had slim hopes at 53-2 and 149-4, only for the hosts to pull 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 different discussion with him," noted former New Zealand international Patel.

"I don't actually know. 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 last day of the tied 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 suggested 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 another loss in Australia, once again likely to be beaten inside the initial three matches of the series.

If the visitors' defeat is completed on Saturday's fourth day, it would mean the destination of the Ashes has been decided in 10 days – the opening two matches were over in two and four days respectively.

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

A Formidable Challenge

If a first goal is to extend this match into a final day, England will also have to pull off the greatest run-chase at the Adelaide Oval to keep the series ongoing.

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

"After three matches, we've thrown some but taken a lot. It's about time, now we're with our backs to the wall, to fight back fiercely."