The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following the opener made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" comment after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – with 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 outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
