The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following England's defeat in the second Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth 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," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of play – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
