The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from captain Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
