The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "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."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
