England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "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," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
