The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
