England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener made 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 everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of 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 with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
