The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed 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 the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
