England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
However, following the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
