The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
