England opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
