The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several interviews following England's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 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 triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," 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 on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
