The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes made this message in several interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
