The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
