The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during 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 – left England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – 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 decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
