The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
