The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following the opener made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. 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 Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
