The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
But, following the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of play – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
