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 "weak men".
Stokes made those words in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory 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 instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
