The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
