The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" comment after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to 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 productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
