The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, after Crawley made 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. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
