England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in several interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes versus 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 "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
