The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
