In addition, the Lions match would have given time using the pink ball, with England due to play a rare day-night Test.
England have lost five of their seven previous day-nighters, while Australia have won 13 from 14. In pace bowler Mitchell Starc, who took 10 wickets in Perth, Australia have the best pink-ball bowler in the world.
Of England’s likely XI in Brisbane, wicketkeeper Jamie Smith and pace bowler Gus Atkinson have never played a first-class match with a pink ball, while Brydon Carse has played only one.
Asked after the first Test if England would alter their plans and send players to Canberra, Stokes was adamant they would not.
“I’ve been asked this question a lot, that’s how it was done a long time ago,” he told Test Match Special. “We prepare incredibly well and work incredibly hard every day we get the opportunity to work on our game.
“We’ve operated in this way where we know that the preparation we put in is correct in the way it works for us.”
Coach McCullum appeared to leave the door open when he said: “We’ve just got to work out what the pros and cons are. We’re not married to any position at the moment, but we’ll work it out in a couple of days.”
McCullum added he was “sure” a batter could play in Canberra if he wanted to.
England will travel to Brisbane on Wednesday and are not scheduled to train until Monday. There is the possibility of an extra training session on Sunday.
Speaking on Saturday, former captain Michael Vaughan said it would be “amateurish” to pass up the opportunity to play in Canberra.
“What harm is it playing two days of cricket with the pink ball under lights?” Vaughan told the Test Match Special podcast.
“I can’t be so old school to suggest that by playing cricket they might get a little bit better?
“My method would be, you’ve got a pink-ball two-day game, you go and grab it, go and take it, play those two days and give yourself the best chance.”
