The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after the opener scored 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 media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here 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 like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate future in the side, Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his poor record against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
