The Ashes: England captain Ben Stokes ‘afflicted’ but ‘fit to play’

Captain Ben Stokes is “troubled” but remains “playable” despite not taking the ball on day three of the crucial Ashes Test in England, according to assistant coach Jeetan Patel.

Stokes used five more bowlers as Australia moved to 271-4 in their second innings, a lead of 356 at Adelaide Oval.

The all-rounder earlier spent more than five hours at the crease over two days to make 83 with the bat in England’s first innings.

During a 198-ball stay, the 34-year-old was hit on the head by Mitchell Starc and suffered convulsive seizures. He also spent some time off the field on Friday after hitting his head on the ground while trying to stop.

“He might be a little tired and just needs some time to himself right now,” Patel said.

“From what I understand, he’s very fit to play ball. I think he’s very talented and has put in a lot of effort to get to this stage of the game.”

Given his checkered injury history – Stokes has not played a full role in any of England’s previous four series – any suggestion that the Durham man might be suffering from a problem attracts huge interest.

Always keen to be in the thick of the fray, Stokes’ absence from the attack on Friday was strange given it was England’s last chance to survive the Ashes series.

Trailing 2-0 and needing a win in Adelaide to keep their hopes of reclaiming the urn alive, England surrendered a first-innings deficit of 85.

The tourists would have been stuck in the contest with Australia bowled out for around 240 in the second innings and had slim hopes at 53-2 and 149-4, only for the hosts to pull away through Travis Head’s unbeaten 142.

Although England bowled 66 overs, Stokes did not use himself.

“He didn’t bowl but that might have been a different discussion with him,” former New Zealand international Patel said.

“I don’t know actually. We all know he’s 80% not doing anything. Maybe he thought it was a risk, so he didn’t throw the ball.”