The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in several interviews following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, 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. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
