The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
But, following the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're 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 tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
