The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "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 press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said 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, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
