England opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth 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 anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be 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 side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
