England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
But, following the opener made 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 everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
