England opener Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat 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 Stokes.
However, after the opener made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
