England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several conversations following England's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, 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.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
