England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, after the opener scored 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. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
