England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by captain Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "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.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
