The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
