The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, after Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial 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 – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of play – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
