The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
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 Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
