England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," 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 fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, 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, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
