The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
