The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"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.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
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 extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
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 Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain 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," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
