The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer 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."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
