The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa 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 asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good 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 Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
