The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.