The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following England's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here 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 definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
