The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes 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," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
