The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
