The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive 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 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
