The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"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," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
