The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth 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," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is 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 will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
