The English opening batter Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"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 a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
