England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted 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 Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
