The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
But, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away 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 each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win 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," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – 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 played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
