England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
