The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
