The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored 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. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
