England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let 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, following the opener made a knock of 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 anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
