The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after the opener made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, 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 a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team 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 messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
