England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, 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 press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
