The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
But, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "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.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a holiday to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England 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 modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
