The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following England's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
