The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following England's loss in the second Ashes series against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let 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," said the England leader.
But, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth 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 some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "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 some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
