The English opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination 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. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
