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The England head coach loathed the term Bazball the moment it emerged, considering it reductive and perhaps foreseeing how it might be weaponised down the line. Currently, down 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that began with high hopes, it has turned into the subject of mockery from Australia.

However the coach has not helped himself either. After the crushing defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England were 'over-prepared' before the pink-ball match was akin to attempting to extinguish a bin fire with petrol. It risks becoming his lasting legacy as national coach if performances do not improve.

On one level, you almost have to admire his commitment to the bit. As much as he says he block out outside criticism, he must have been all too aware of an England team often described as freewheeling and lacking preparation.

The reality, as always, is not so simple. England enjoy golf just as much during their scheduled breaks as their opponents and they train just as much. Before the Gabba Test, they did more, logging five days compared to Australia's three, due to their limited experience to the pink ball and the different lighting conditions.

The Question of Preparation and Training

McCullum's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his decision – the moment he wavered in his belief that less is more. It suggested a significant amount of mental energy was used up before they even stepped out in the intensity of Australia's stronghold. And though net practice are a opportunity to refine skills, they can also become a comfort zone; zero consequence work that mainly maintains the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (and no guarantee, as shown by England playing three before the whitewash in 2013-14). More difficult to justify is the dismissal of domestic red-ball cricket as a valuable experience in general, as shown by Jacob Bethell's wasted summer.

On-Field Deficiencies and Philosophical Stagnation

Only playing prepares cricketers for the various scenarios they walk out to face, and it is here where England have so far been found lacking. The issue is not just with the batting – as poor as some of the decision-making has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. None has demonstrated the patience or control that the otherworldly Australian paceman and his support cast have delivered.

McCullum's unconventional approach was freeing during its initial year, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to eradicate the lethargy that came before. The disappointment now comes in how it has seemingly not evolved past that point – an absence of an second phase to the initial philosophy that has seen results decline to 14 wins and 14 losses from their most recent matches.

Player Focus and Selection Decisions

One such player is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested on each side of the bat and missed two key chances with the gloves. It probably does not help when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just delivered a masterful display.

Based on McCullum's words after the match, England appear set to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – similar to the broader situation – is that a switch to a traditional Test setting unleashes his best, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unusual floodlit Test now in the past.

Another option is to implement the plan discovered during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting Ollie Pope down to his more natural home as a busy middle order player, giving him the wicketkeeping duties, and selecting a new No 3. A young contender scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or perhaps an all-rounder could perform a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is perfect, however Australia's superior basics having shattered expectations and pushed the team's entire approach into the spotlight.