The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes made this message in several interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. 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 now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
