The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised 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 good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
