The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
