The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
