The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
