The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed in line 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 lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "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 played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
