The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
