England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
