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

Stokes deployed five other bowlers as Australia progressed to 271-4 in their follow-on, establishing a substantial advantage of 356 runs at the Adelaide Oval.

The dynamic player had earlier battled for more than five hours at the wicket across two days to compile 83 runs in England's initial batting effort.

A Grueling Innings

During his extended 198-ball stay, the 34-year-old was hit on the helmet by Mitchell Starc and experienced bouts of cramp. He also needed a period off the field on the previous day after banging his head on the ground while trying to field the ball.

"He might be a little fatigued and just require some time to himself right now," stated Patel.

"From what I understand, 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

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 carrying a problem attracts significant attention.

Eager to be in the heat of battle, 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 needing to win in Adelaide to keep their hopes of regaining the urn 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 tourists could have remained in the contest by bowling out Australia for around 240 in their second innings and had faint chances at certain scorelines, only for the hosts to accelerate away through Travis Head's unbeaten 142.

Although England delivered 66 overs, Stokes chose not to bowl.

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

Precedent and Pressure

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

He afterwards missed the fifth Test at The Oval with a shoulder injury.

Stokes has a history of driving himself past breaking point, and it was put 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 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 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 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 greatest run-chase at the Adelaide Oval to keep the series alive.

"I still believe there's an chance for us," said Patel. "It won't be easy, we're going to need something magical. I think it's about time we witnessed something magical from us."

"Three games in, we've thrown some but absorbed many. It's about time, now we're backed into a corner, to fight back fiercely."