The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
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 message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
But, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, 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 a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning 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 played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
