England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"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 Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "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 game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
