England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
