The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by captain Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after Crawley scored 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. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
