The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
