The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth 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 a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain 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 like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
