England opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by captain Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "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," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment after England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said 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 Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
