England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said 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'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
