The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
