England opening batter Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained 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 were capable of something special entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains 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 inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
