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Joe Root copped a second ball to the testicles in the one day late on day four of the Adelaide Ashes Test before losing his wicket right on stumps.

Joe Root's previous Ashes tour of Australia had ended in bouts of dehydration, diarrhoea and vomiting in the SCG dressing room.

Yet somehow, the England captain found a way to have an even more painful day in Australia on Sunday.

Root was struck not once, but twice in the testicles, in what could only be classed as the least enjoyable few hours an England captain has had in Australia.

His ordeal came in what is now set to become a 4000-day period since England's last Test match win in the country, with the second Test all but out of hand in Adelaide.

Root was first struck while not wearing a protective box when warming up in the nets before the start of play.

The world's top-ranked bat didn't take to the field with England as a result, but was instead sent for scans to ensure all was OK.

He was cleared of injury, but missed the first 80 minutes of play while at a local hospital.

Root later found that lightning really can strike twice.

Facing Mitchell Starc late in the day, he copped one that swung back at him and got him right in the same spot.

This time there was at least protection - but it still looked just as painful.

"People get hit there. That's pretty painful," England's bowling coach Jon Lewis pointed out dryly.

"He wasn't in great shape, so to get another one in there was unfortunate for him.

"I've not inspected it myself ... But he will be okay in the long run."

Play was stopped for five-and-a-half minutes as Root was assessed, with England medical staff using a towel and moving the spider camera for a proper inspection.

Root eventually returned to his feet, struggled around, and regained his composure to bat on.

The stoppage was almost long enough to deny Starc one last over at England's batsmen.

Almost.

But as was Root's rotten day, it wasn't close enough.

Instead, he suffered the ultimate horror end when he edged to Alex Carey on 24, leaving England 4-82 on what proved the final ball of the day.

Any hope of chasing down the world-record target of 468 was lost long ago for England.

But after Root's painful few minutes at the crease, the tourists now need a miracle to save the Test and avoid going 2-0 down.