The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "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 press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
