England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in multiple interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley scored 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. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" comment after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought 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 11 days of play – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
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 so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
