The English opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews following England's defeat in the second Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
