The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner 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 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
