England opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to 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 after England were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
