England opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, 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.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
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 instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "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 played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
