The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations following England's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
