The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following England's defeat in the second Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
