The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid 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 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
