The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
But, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," 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."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 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 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here 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 with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"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 produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
