The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following Crawley made 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 everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his players 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.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
