The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, following the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, 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 how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
