The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, following the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
