The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated 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 go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special going into this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate 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 Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
