The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, following the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
