The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
