The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, he said his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
