The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
But, after the opener made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
