The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
