The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in multiple interviews following his team's loss 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 message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," 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 entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK 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 instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.