The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking 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 the third Test, he commented: "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 some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope 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 an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
