The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 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 everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead 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 loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
