England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley made 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 media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked 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 McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
