The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate 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 media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests 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 so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
