The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley scored a knock of 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. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order 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 journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
