The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following England's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, after Crawley scored 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. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
