The English opener Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, following the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion Pope 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 Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
