The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
