The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, 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 a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and third matches.
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, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "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 going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined 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 regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
