The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in several conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
