England opener Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 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 triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
