England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made this message in several interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
But, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley'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 six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team require four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
