The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made this message in several conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes series against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
