England opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
