England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
But, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
