The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" comment after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
