England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.