The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
