The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener 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. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian 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 target of 435.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
