The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
