England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap 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 Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
