Ben Stokes was retired hurt during the first innings of the fourth Test and in the second innings he was clutching his bowling shoulder every time he delivered a delivery. It seemed at one point that even if his arm came apart, he would continue bowling. The fitness problems raised questions about his availability for the fifth and final Test match but the all-rounder says he will be on the field.
The fourth Test ended in a stalemate after centuries from skipper Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar saw India dominate the final day's play at Old Trafford where drama unfolded in the last hour when Stokes and Co. wanted to call off the match, only to be refused by the visitors who were well within their rights to continue batting.
Stokes, who grimaced throughout while bowling 11 overs on Sunday, said he had been suffering from pain in his right bicep tendon.
"I don't want to eat my words but the likelihood I won't play is very unlikely. I'll always try to give everything, always try to run through a brick wall for the team," Stokes said when asked about his chances of playing at the Oval in three days' time.
"It's my bicep tendon. It obviously had a lot of workload through it but it didn't get any worse and hopefully it settles down and will be as good as gold for last game. But yeah, (I spent) a lot of time out in the middle doing my job as an all-rounder this week and (it) just got a little bit flared up...
"Bowling, being out on the field it is tough work. I'm feeling pretty sore. I've physically been better. But I'll keep trying, keep going and as I say to all the bowlers: pain is just an emotion."
Stokes has stretched his body to the limit, bowling exhausting spells whenever his team has needed. He is currently the leading wicket-taker of the series with 17 scalps. In Manchester, he has also got his first five-wicket haul in eight years before topping it up with a big hundred in England's massive first innings total of 669.
Having toiled through 143 overs in India's second innings at Old Trafford, Stokes indicated that England would need "fresh legs" for the fifth Test starting Thursday.
"If you look at how long we've been out in the field and the overs that we bowled as a bowling unit, everyone is going to be pretty sore and pretty tired going into the last game of the series," Stokes said.
"There will be an assessment of everyone, and hopefully we can use these next two or three days' rest period wisely and then have to make a decision.
"These recovery days are going to be pretty important and we might have to make a few decisions to get some fresh legs in. But that won't be decided until we get closer to the last game."
The England skipper added, "We generally like to get our team out a couple of days before but we might have to just take a little bit longer going into this last game, because we want to give everyone as long as we possibly can to be able to recover."
As far as England's fast bowlers are concerned, Brydon Carse and Chris Woakes have played all four matches, while Jofra Archer has played two in a row after a four-year absence from Test cricket.
They have Gus Atkinson, Sam Cook, Jamie Overton and Josh Tongue as the other available options.
Stokes has won his second consecutive Player of the Match award on Sunday and 12th overall, which places him second among English players with only teammate Joe Root ahead of him with 13 such honours.
However, he was not very happy with the effort as it has failed to bring an England victory, unlike at Lord's where they won.
"Before this game you want to be contributing towards the team as much as you can. I am not someone who looks much at the overall statistics. I felt I have gradually got better.
"Last week at Lord's 70 runs. Good game this week as an all-rounder but I felt better last week with three for and two for and 30 and 40 than 140 and six wickets in the game now."
(With PTI Inputs)
