England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future 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 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
