The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several interviews following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
