The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
