The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several conversations following England's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "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 "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, he said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
