England opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by captain Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following the opener made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" 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 guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
