The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty 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.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
