England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, extending his poor record versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
