England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in several interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
