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The England head coach detested the moniker Bazball from its inception, deeming it overly simplistic and maybe anticipating how it might be weaponised in the future. Right now, trailing 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that began with great expectations, it has become the butt of mockery from Australia.

But the coach has not helped himself either. After the crushing defeat at the Gabba, his insistence that, if anything, England were 'too prepared' prior to the day-night Test was akin to attempting to extinguish a bin fire with gasoline. It risks becoming his lasting legacy as national coach if performances do not improve.

On one level, you almost have to admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as he claims to ignore outside criticism, he will have been all too aware of an England team increasingly characterised as freewheeling and underprepared.

The reality, as always, is more nuanced. England play as much golf during their scheduled breaks as their rivals and they train just as much. Prior to the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, logging five days compared to Australia's three, due to their lack of exposure to the pink Kookaburra ball and the different seeing conditions.

The Question of Readiness and Practice

McCullum's point about being "over-prepared" was that those five extra days were his call – the instance he blinked in his conviction that less is more. It meant a significant amount of focus was expended before they even stepped out in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though net practice are a chance to iron out technique, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure activity that simply keeps the reactions quick.

Fixtures are tight such that warm-up matches against state sides were not possible (and no guarantee, as shown by England having played three before the 5-0 series loss in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the disregard of county championship cricket as a valuable experience more broadly, as shown by Jacob Bethell's unproductive season.

On-Field Shortcomings and Strategic Lack of Evolution

Match practice alone hardens cricketers for the various scenarios they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have thus far fallen well short. The issue is not just with the batting – harrowing as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. None has shown the patience or discipline that the exceptional Australian paceman and his support cast have displayed.

The coach's unconventional approach was liberating during its initial year, an excellent, apt solution to shake off the torpor that came before. The frustration now comes in how it has apparently not evolved past that initial phase – the lack of an second phase to the original software that has seen form taper off to 14 wins and 14 losses from their last 30 Tests.

Squad Spotlight and Selection Decisions

Among them is Jamie Smith, a talent, no question, but one who is being constantly tested on both edges and missed two key chances as wicketkeeper. The situation is not aided when your counterpart, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a virtuoso performance.

Going by 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 more familiar match environment unleashes his top form, with Perth's bouncy pitch and the unfamiliar day-night format now out of the way.

The alternative is to implement the plan stumbled across during the victorious series in New Zealand 12 months ago by moving the batsman down to his more natural home as a active middle order player, giving him the wicketkeeping duties, and selecting a fresh face at first drop. A young contender made some runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe Will Jacks could fulfil a similar role to the former spinner in 2023.

In the end, these changes is ideal, with Australia's better fundamentals having destroyed expectations and forced the team's entire approach into the spotlight.