England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
