The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
