England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple conversations following England's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
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 message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"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," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment after England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
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.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
