England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and 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. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
