The English opening batter Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
