The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored 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. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
