England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in several interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed 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 in the camp," Crawley finished.
