England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message 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, following the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed 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 instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.