The English opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes 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 Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
