The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
