England opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored 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. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" comment after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
