The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations following England's loss in the second Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley made 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 media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
