England opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
