England's hopes of retaining the Ashes are hanging by a thread after a desperate shortage of spin bowling options was ruthlessly exposed by Australia on day three of the third Test in Adelaide.
A Glaring Void in the Attack
With the series poised at 2-0 to the hosts, England were left desperately pining for a spinner of Graeme Swann's calibre as they watched Australia build a mammoth lead of 356 runs with six wickets still in hand. Swann, who retired during the 2013-14 tour, took 255 Test wickets at an average under 30, offering the control England sorely lacked.
Instead, the tourists relied on batting all-rounder Will Jacks to lead the spin attack on a surface considered the most spin-friendly in Australia. The result was stark: his 19 overs conceded 107 runs, including 12 fours and a six, as Travis Head compiled a match-defining, unbeaten 142.
Patel's Frank Admission and Bashir's Omission
Spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel, facing the media on Friday 19 December 2025, gave a candid assessment. "Would we have liked Graeme Swann out there? Probably," he admitted. "But it's a reality of where we're at and what we thought we needed for this game."
He defended Jacks's effort but acknowledged his limitations as a part-time bowler, stating his primary role was to provide "extra batting cover." Meanwhile, the designated specialist spinner for the tour, 22-year-old Shoaib Bashir, was overlooked again despite travelling as the first-choice option. Patel denied Bashir was now "unselectable" for the remaining two Tests.
Stokes's Fitness Adds to England's Woes
England's resources were further stretched by the absence of Ben Stokes from the bowling attack. After a marathon five-hour innings in severe heat that left him suffering from cramp and dehydration, the captain did not bowl a single over in Australia's second innings.
Patel suggested the all-rounder was simply exhausted. "My sense is he's just pretty knackered," Patel said. "We all know he doesn't do anything at 80 per cent. If he thinks he can't do it at 100 per cent, I don't think he's going to do it."
With Australia needing just two days to push for a victory that would seal the series at 3-0, England's spin bowling crisis and a fatigued leader have left them requiring another miracle from the brink of Ashes defeat.
