England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain 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.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
