The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special going into this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
