England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, following the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
