The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"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.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
