The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after Crawley made 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. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory 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 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his poor record against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
