England opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win 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 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
