The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, following the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
