The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order 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 press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
