The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations following England's defeat in the second Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"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 "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
