England opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
