The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in several interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
