The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days 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 so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
