England opening batter Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener said any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
