The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "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 versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
