England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
