The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from captain Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
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 press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
