The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
