The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations following England's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
