The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, 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. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
