The English opener Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, 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 media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
