The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions 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 fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
