The team skipper Ben Stokes is said to be "worn out" but still "fit and ready" to deliver overs, per team coach Jeetan Patel, despite he abstained from bowling on the third day of a critical Ashes Test.
Stokes utilized five other bowlers as the Australian side progressed to 271-4 in their follow-on, building a substantial advantage of 356 runs at the venue.
The dynamic player had previously spent over five hours at the wicket across two days to compile 83 runs in England's first innings.
Throughout his marathon 198-ball stay, the veteran cricketer was struck on the head by a fast bowler and suffered bouts of cramp. He also required time off the field on Friday after hitting his head on the turf while attempting a stop.
"He might 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 taken a lot out of himself to reach this point in the game."
Considering his complicated injury history – Stokes has not played a full part in any of England's previous four series – any suggestion the Durham man might be carrying a problem attracts significant attention.
Eager to be in the thick of the action, 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 needing to win in Adelaide to keep their hopes of winning back the Ashes alive, England had given up a first-innings lead of 85 runs.
"All I know 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 probably where he's at."
The tourists could have remained in the match by dismissing Australia for approximately 240 in their second innings and had slim hopes at certain scorelines, only for the home team to pull away through Travis Head's unbeaten 142.
Although 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."
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 reputation of pushing his body 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.
England stand on the edge of yet another defeat in Australia, once again likely to be beaten inside the first three Tests of the series.
If the visitors' defeat is completed on Saturday's fourth day, it would mean the outcome of the Ashes has been determined in just ten 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 victor of an Ashes series been determined so swiftly.
If a primary objective is to extend this match 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 remain convinced there's an opportunity for us," said Patel. "It won't be easy, we're going to need something magical. I think it's high time we saw something magical from us."
"Three games in, we've landed some blows but taken a lot. It's time, now we're backed into a corner, to throw some haymakers."
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