The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, he said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
