The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss 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 over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
