The English opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes made this message in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
