The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, following 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 everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
