The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third 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've done all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
