The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
