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The England head coach loathed the label Bazball from its inception, viewing it as overly simplistic and perhaps anticipating how it could be weaponised down the line. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that started with great expectations, it has become the butt of Australian jokes.

However McCullum has contributed to the problem either. After the gut-wrenching defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England were 'over-prepared' before the day-night Test was like trying to put out a rubbish fire with gasoline. It could become his lasting legacy as national coach if results do not improve.

On one level, one must admire his commitment to the bit. As much as he claims to block out outside criticism, he must have been acutely aware of an England team often described as freewheeling and underprepared.

The truth, as always, is not so simple. England enjoy golf just as much during their scheduled breaks as their rivals and they train just as much. Prior to the Gabba Test, they did more, logging five days compared to Australia's three, due to their lack of exposure to the pink ball and the different seeing conditions.

The Debate of Preparation and Training

McCullum's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his call – the moment he blinked in his conviction that minimal preparation is best. It suggested a significant amount of focus was expended before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though nets are a opportunity to iron out technique, they can also become a comfort zone; low-pressure activity that simply keeps the reactions quick.

Schedules are tight such that pre-series state games were not possible (with no guarantee, as shown by England playing three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the dismissal of county championship cricket as a valuable experience more broadly, evidenced by a young player's unproductive season.

On-Field Shortcomings and Strategic Stagnation

Match practice alone prepares cricketers for the many situations they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have thus far fallen well short. It is not only with the batting – harrowing as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has shown the persistence or control that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his support cast have delivered.

The coach's free-spirit approach was liberating during its first 12 months, an excellent, apt remedy to shake off the torpor that came before. The disappointment now stems from how it has seemingly not evolved past that initial phase – an absence of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen results taper off to 14 wins and 14 losses from their most recent matches.

Squad Focus and Team Decisions

One such player is the wicketkeeper-batter, a gifted player, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and missed two crucial opportunities with the gloves. It probably does not help when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just produced a masterful display.

Based on the coach's words after the match, England appear set to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – as is the case – is that a switch to a traditional Test setting unleashes his top form, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unusual day-night format now in the past.

Another option is to implement the plan stumbled across during the victorious series in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting the batsman down to his preferred position as a active No. 5 or 6, giving him the wicketkeeping duties, and picking a fresh face at first drop. Bethell made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe an all-rounder could fulfil a comparable function to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, these changes is ideal, however Australia's superior basics having shattered expectations and pushed the broader philosophy into the harsh glare of scrutiny.