The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in several interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following the opener made 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. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here against 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 Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
