England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, 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 press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
