The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, 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 media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
