The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"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 a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
