The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
