The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
