The English opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
But, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team require four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
