The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in several interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "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 press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of play – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, 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 of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
