England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in several interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after the opener made 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 press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener said any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
