England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain 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 needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
