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With series against India on the line, England skipper Ben Stokes isn't a bloke to watch the action unfold from the sidelines. Thus the all-rounder plans to play in the fifth and final match with a pain in his right hand after heavy workload in the series.
The series-concluding Test begins at the Oval from Thursday with England leading 2-1 but were held to a draw in the fourth match at Manchester unable to break down a resolute Indian batting unit.
It has given India a ray of hope to square the series, which Stokes is well aware of and is unwilling to entertain, even willing to put his body on the line.
He bowled 11 overs in the final day of the fourth Test in Manchester on Sunday and could be seen grimacing after each delivery though he played down chances of sitting out the crucial clash.
"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.
"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."
With 17 scalps, Stokes is the leading wicket-taker in the series and took first five-wicket haul in eight years before hitting a big century in Manchester.
He might be keen to carry on for one more match but acknowledged the need for "fresh legs" at the Oval in three days time.
"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.
"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," the England skipper added.
