The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
