The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after 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 everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
