The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"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'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, the opener said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
