The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple conversations following England's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope 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," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
