England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made this message in multiple conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, following the opener made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – 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 more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
