England opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, following the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
