England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"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 a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
