The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain 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 with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "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 produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
