England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following the opener made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged 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 coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
