England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "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 from the outside. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.