The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
