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The England head coach despised the term Bazball from its inception, considering it overly simplistic and maybe anticipating how it might be weaponised down the line. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an away Ashes series that started with high hopes, it has turned into the subject of mockery from Australia.

But the coach has contributed to the problem either. After the crushing defeat at the Gabba, his claim that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' before the pink-ball match was like trying to put out a bin fire with gasoline. It risks becoming his epitaph as national coach if performances do not take an upturn.

On one level, you almost have to admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as he claims to block out external noise, he must have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as freewheeling and underprepared.

The reality, as ever, is not so simple. England enjoy golf just as much during their necessary down time as their rivals and they train just as much. Prior to the Gabba Test, they did more, completing five days to Australia's three, due to their limited experience to the pink Kookaburra ball and the different lighting conditions.

The Debate of Preparation and Training

McCullum's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his decision – the instance he wavered in his conviction that minimal preparation is best. It suggested a significant amount of mental energy was expended before they even took the field 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 activity that simply keeps the reactions quick.

Schedules are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were unavailable (with no guarantee, when you consider England playing three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the disregard of domestic red-ball cricket as a valuable experience more broadly, evidenced by a young player's unproductive season.

Match Shortcomings and Philosophical Stagnation

Match practice alone prepares cricketers for the many situations they walk out to face, and it is here where England have so far been found lacking. The issue is not just with the bat – harrowing as some of the decision-making has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. No bowler has shown the patience or control that the exceptional Australian paceman and his teammates have displayed.

McCullum's free-spirit approach was freeing during its initial year, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to eradicate the torpor that came before. The frustration now stems from how it has seemingly not evolved past that point – an absence of an second phase to the original software that has seen results decline to an even record from their most recent matches.

Player Spotlight and Selection Dilemmas

Among them is Jamie Smith, a talent, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on each side of the bat and missed two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. It probably does not help when your opposite number, the Australian keeper, has just produced a virtuoso display.

Going by the coach's words in the aftermath, England appear set to keep the faith with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – as is the case – is that a return to a more familiar Test setting triggers his top form, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unfamiliar floodlit Test now out of the way.

Another option is to enact the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by moving the batsman down to his more natural home as a active middle order player, giving him the gloves, and picking a new No 3. Bethell scored runs for the Lions recently, or perhaps Will Jacks could fulfil a comparable function to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, these changes is perfect, with Australia's better fundamentals having destroyed expectations and forced the team's entire approach into the harsh glare of scrutiny.