England opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
