The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to 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 if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
