The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by captain Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts 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 we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning 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 talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
