England opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won 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 at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
