The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "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 played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
