The English opener Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by captain Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"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 Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
