The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," 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 Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain 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," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus 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 recorded a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
