The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after the opener scored 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.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
