England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
