The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "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 press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across 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 as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
