England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth 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 media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. 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 regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
