The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley scored 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 anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
