The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by captain Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"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 Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to 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 good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
