England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
