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

Stokes deployed five other 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 across two days to score 83 runs in England's first innings.

A Demanding Knock

Throughout his marathon 198-ball innings, the 34-year-old was hit on the helmet by Mitchell Starc and experienced muscle cramps. He also needed a period off the field on Friday after banging his head on the ground while trying to field the ball.

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

"Based on my knowledge, 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."

Past Fitness Concerns

Considering his chequered injury past – Stokes has not played a full part in any of England's last four series – any suggestion the Durham man might be nursing an issue attracts considerable scrutiny.

Eager to be in the thick of the action, Stokes' absence from the attack on Friday was curious given it was England's last chance to stay in the Ashes series.

At trailing 2-0 and requiring a victory in Adelaide to keep their hopes of regaining the urn intact, England had given up a first-innings lead 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 probably where he's at."

The visiting side could have remained in the contest by dismissing Australia for around 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 chose not to bowl.

"He abstained from bowling but that's probably a different discussion 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 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 afterwards was absent for 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 risked injury if he pushed 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 initial three matches of the series.

If the tourists' loss is completed on Saturday's fourth day, it would mean the destination of the Ashes has been determined 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 determined so swiftly.

A Formidable Challenge

If a primary objective is to prolong the game into a final day, England will also have to pull off the greatest run-chase at the Adelaide Oval to keep the series alive.

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

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