The English opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 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 everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
