The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians 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 sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
