The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
