The English opener Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
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 media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century 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 Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
