The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, after Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
