England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
But, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "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 some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
