The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, 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," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
