England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made this message in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
