The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"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 significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
