England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, following the opener scored 85 on the fourth 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 press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
