England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several interviews in the wake of 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 defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
But, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
