The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
But, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
