The English opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate 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 Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
