The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined 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 facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his poor record against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley said any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
