The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series 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 let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
