England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, 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 media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
