The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley made 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 some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman 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 suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
