The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in several conversations following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after the opener made 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. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. 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 regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
