England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
