England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
