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The England head coach despised the term Bazball from its inception, viewing it as overly simplistic and maybe anticipating how it could be used as a weapon 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 McCullum has contributed to the problem either. After the gut-wrenching defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the pink-ball match was like attempting to extinguish a bin fire with petrol. It could become his lasting legacy as national coach if performances do not take an upturn.

In a way, one must admire his commitment to the bit. As much as he claims to ignore outside criticism, he must have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as freewheeling and lacking preparation.

The reality, as ever, is more nuanced. England play as much golf during their scheduled breaks as their opponents and they train just as much. Prior to the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, completing five days to Australia's three, given their limited experience to the pink Kookaburra ball and the changes in seeing conditions.

The Question of Readiness and Training

McCullum's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his decision – the instance he blinked in his belief that less is more. It meant a Test match's worth of mental energy was expended before they even stepped out in the intensity of Australia's fortress. While nets are a opportunity to iron out skills, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure work that simply maintains the reactions quick.

Fixtures are congested such that warm-up matches against state sides were not possible (with uncertain value, as shown by 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 worthwhile exercise in general, evidenced by a young player's unproductive season.

Match Deficiencies and Philosophical Stagnation

Match practice alone hardens cricketers for the many situations they encounter, and it is here where England have thus far been found lacking. The issue is not just with the batting – harrowing as some of the decision-making has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. None has shown the patience or control that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his teammates have displayed.

The coach's unconventional approach was liberating during its initial year, an excellent, well diagnosed solution to shake off the lethargy that came before. The disappointment now comes in how it has apparently failed to move beyond that initial phase – an absence of an upgrade to the original software that has seen results decline to 14 wins and 14 losses from their most recent matches.

Player Spotlight and Team Dilemmas

Among them is the wicketkeeper-batter, a talent, no question, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on both edges and missed two key chances with the gloves. The situation is not aided when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just produced a masterful display.

Going by the coach's comments in the aftermath, England appear set to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – similar to the broader situation – is that a return to a traditional match environment unleashes his best, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unfamiliar day-night format now out of the way.

The alternative is to enact the plan discovered during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting the batsman down to his more natural home as a active No. 5 or 6, handing him the gloves, and selecting a fresh face at first drop. A young contender scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or perhaps Will Jacks could perform a similar role to the former spinner in 2023.

In the end, none of this is ideal, however Australia's superior basics having shattered expectations and pushed the broader philosophy into the harsh glare of scrutiny.