England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
