Captain Stokes Feels 'Knackered' Yet Insists He's 'Ready to Bowl'

The team skipper Ben Stokes is reportedly "exhausted" but still "fit and ready" to bowl, per assistant coach Jeetan Patel, even though he abstained from bowling on the day three of a critical Ashes Test.

Stokes deployed a quintet of alternative bowlers as the Australian side progressed to 271-4 in their follow-on, building a substantial advantage of 356 runs at the Adelaide Oval.

The versatile all-rounder had earlier spent over five hours at the wicket over two days to score 83 runs in England's initial batting effort.

A Grueling Innings

Throughout his marathon 198-ball stay, the veteran cricketer 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 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.

"From what I understand, he's pretty fit to bowl. I think he's just pretty knackered and he's taken a lot out of himself to get through this point in the match."

Injury History Scrutiny

Given his complicated injury history – Stokes has not been fully available in any of England's previous four series – any suggestion 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 curious 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 alive, England had conceded 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 around 240 in their second innings and had slim hopes at certain scorelines, only for the hosts to accelerate away through Travis Head's unbeaten 142.

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

"He abstained from bowling but that's perhaps a separate conversation with him," said former New Zealand international Patel.

"I don't actually know. We all know he never performs at 80%. Maybe he thought he was a liability, so he didn't bowl."

Precedent and Pressure

The last time Stokes curtailed his own bowling was on the last day of the drawn fourth Test against India at Old Trafford in July.

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

Stokes has a reputation of driving himself to its absolute limit, and it was suggested 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 stand on the edge of yet another defeat in Australia, once again probably facing defeat inside the first three Tests of the series.

If the visitors' defeat is sealed on Saturday's fourth day, it would mean the outcome of the Ashes has been determined in just ten 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 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 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 saw something magical from us."

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