England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, following the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, 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 press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
