England opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored 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. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on the 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 condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
