England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, following the opener made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
