England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, after Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, 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 media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
