England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks 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 innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
