The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – 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 to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
