The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following England's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "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 some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
