England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "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 definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his poor record against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "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 produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
