The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary 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 poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
