The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following the opener made a knock of 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 media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"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.
