England opener Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, 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 media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia 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 just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's winless run 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 two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
