The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "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 Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
