The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"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," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
