The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made this message in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia 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 facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
