England opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
