England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" comment after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said 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 series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
