England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, 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 some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
