The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
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 everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted 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 like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
