The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in several interviews following England's defeat in the second Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future 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 knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
