The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
