England opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won 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 at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
