The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
