The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia 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 respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
