The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted 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."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
