The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
