The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
