Travis Head notched his second century of the Ashes, placing Australia on the verge of a series victory at Adelaide Oval, with the hosts needing merely a draw to keep the urn.
England, who have faced defeats of 5-0, 4-0, and 4-0 in their previous three series in Australia, trail by 356 runs, with the hosts at 271-4 in their second innings. However, Patel remained confident they could still secure a win.
“I still believe there’s a chance for us. It won’t be simple. We’re going to need something extraordinary,” he told reporters.
“But I think it’s high time we demonstrated something exceptional. It’s three games in, we’ve landed some punches but absorbed many, and now I think it’s our moment to retaliate with some significant blows.
“I found some of our tactical decisions today, and our execution at times, to be outstanding, but it just didn’t favor us. We must maintain our belief.”
England struggled to dismiss Australia’s batsmen, with captain Ben Stokes choosing not to bowl in the second innings. Part-time spinner Will Jacks was hit for 107 runs in 19 overs, claiming just one wicket.
The 27-year-old all-rounder conceded 105 runs in the first innings, raising questions about England’s choice to leave Shoaib Bashir out of the lineup on the spin-friendly pitch in Adelaide.
“I don’t think he bowled poorly,” Patel noted. “They have played him very well. They’ve utilized the crease, got deep, charged at him, and explored both the off and leg sides, looking to score.
“They aimed to put him under pressure. That’s likely what you’d expect against the spin of Jacks, where it isn’t really his primary skill. I still believe Bashir is our top option and does an excellent job for us…
“But in these conditions, we need to choose wisely. With all four seamers performing and Jacks supporting them, I think that strategy works effectively. However, it didn’t unfold as well as I would have hoped.”
