England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman 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, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
