The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
