The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
