The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth 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 media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley said any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
