England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking 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 Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was 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 definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
