The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future 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 the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
