England opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"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 chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
