The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
But, after 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 anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special going into this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
