The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before 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 stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
