The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
