England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
