England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener scored 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. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.