England opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "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," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
