The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap 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 battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
