England opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
