The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
