The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made this message in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, after the opener scored 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 everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
