The English opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from captain Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley 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 everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory 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 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
