The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the fourth 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 press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
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 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – 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 to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
