The team skipper Ben Stokes is reportedly "exhausted" but still "physically able" to deliver overs, per assistant coach Jeetan Patel, despite he abstained from bowling on the day three of a pivotal Ashes Test.
Stokes deployed a quintet of alternative bowlers as Australia moved to 271-4 in their second innings, establishing a commanding lead of 356 runs at the Adelaide Oval.
The versatile all-rounder had earlier battled for more than five hours at the wicket over two days to score 83 runs in England's initial batting effort.
Throughout his extended 198-ball innings, the veteran cricketer was hit on the helmet by a fast bowler and experienced muscle cramps. He also needed a period off the field on the previous day after hitting his head on the turf while trying to field the ball.
"He might be a bit tired and just require some time to himself right now," stated Patel.
"From what I understand, 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."
Given his complicated injury past – Stokes has not been fully available in any of England's previous four series – any indication the Durham man might be nursing an issue draws considerable scrutiny.
Eager to be in the thick of the action, Stokes' decision not to bowl on Friday was curious given it was England's final opportunity to remain alive in the Ashes series.
At trailing 2-0 and needing to win in Adelaide to keep their aspirations of winning back the Ashes alive, England had given up a first-innings lead of 85 runs.
"All I know is he operates 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 knock and had slim hopes at certain scorelines, only for the home team to accelerate away through Travis Head's unbeaten 142.
Even though England bowled 66 overs, Stokes did not use himself.
"He didn't bowl but that's perhaps a separate conversation 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 liability, so he didn't bowl."
The last time Stokes curtailed his own bowling was on the last day of the tied 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 risked injury if he exerted himself any further in Adelaide.
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 sealed 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 winner of an Ashes series been decided this quickly.
If a first goal is to prolong the game into a final day, England will also have to pull off the highest successful 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 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."
