England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope 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," said Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
