England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
