The England players have come in for heavy criticism since Australia wrapped up an 82-run win in the third test in Adelaide on Sunday to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series and retain the urn.
Media and social media reports of some players taking a "Stag Party" attitude to a trip to the Queensland resort of Noosa between the second and third tests have only added to that weight of pressure.
Team director Rob Key yesterday promised to look into reports of excessive drinking in Noosa and Stokes said it had all left him with a big job to do in his role as the protector of the players.
"With the reports and everything circulating around right now, my main concern right now is my players," he told reporters at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where the fourth test starts on Friday.
"How I handle this moment right now is the most important thing to me. The welfare of everyone in there, and probably some certain individuals as well, is the most important thing to me right now.
"This kind of stuff is something that I have first-hand experience of, how it can affect people. And my role as England captain is to protect my players as much as I possibly can.
"I will always protect my players as much as I possibly can. And right here, right now, that is my main job as England captain."
Stokes has been open about the mental health issues he has faced during his career and took a lengthy break from cricket in 2021 to focus on his well-being.
That followed his trial on charges of affray after being involved in street brawl in Bristol in 2017, video of which appeared on social media.
He was acquitted in court but fined and suspended by the England & Wales Cricket Board for his part in the incident and the posting of "inappropriate video" on social media.
"It's never a nice place to be when not only the media world but also the social media world is just piling on top of you," Stokes said.
"It's a very tough, tough, tough place to be in as an individual, and when you know you've got the support of the people who are sort of leaders, it's very good to know that you've got that support."
Stokes appeared to be more concerned with the impact of leaked video on social media than more mainstream criticism of England's cricket.
"When you are 3-0 down and you've lost the series, everything you say, everything you do, gets scrutinized, and rightly so," he said.
"You don't really have a leg to stand on when you've lost three games in a huge series like this."
McCullum wants to keep 'pretty good gig'
England head coach Brendon McCullum says he wants to stay in his job despite the three-test defeat in the Ashes series, but says his future is not in his hands.
The New Zealander has come in for criticism during the series with England's 82-run defeat in the third test at Adelaide giving Australia an unassailable 3-0 lead.
McCullum is contracted through to the end of the World Cup in 2027 so would get another opportunity to reclaim the Ashes in a home series that year if he stays in his post.
"It's a pretty good gig. It's good fun," McCullum was quoted as saying by the BBC. "You travel the world with the lads and try to play some exciting cricket and try to achieve some things.
"You want to try to get the best out of people. I don't do anything to protect the job. It's a matter of trying to just get the very best out of the people."
England's approach in Australia has fuelled criticism that the so-called "Bazball" tactics that have marked out McCullum's reign have been largely discredited.
"I don't know. It's not really up to me, is it?" McCullum said when asked if he thought he would still be in charge for the next Ashes series. "I'll just keep trying to do the job, trying to learn the lessons I haven't quite got right here and try to make some adjustments. Those questions are for someone else, not for me."
England are winless in 18 test matches in Australia and will be looking to avoid a 5-0 whitewash.
The fourth test begins on Friday, Boxing Day in Melbourne and the fifth will be played in Sydney, starting on January 4.
Australia squad
Steve Smith (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster.
