The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable 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 straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
