England opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations following England's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
