England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
