The English opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," 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."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
