The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley 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. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
