England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
