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The England head coach loathed the term Bazball since it was coined, deeming it overly simplistic and maybe foreseeing how it might be used as a weapon in the future. Currently, trailing 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that began with great expectations, 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 claim that, if there was an issue, England were 'over-prepared' prior to the day-night Test was akin to trying to put out a bin fire with petrol. It risks becoming his epitaph as England head coach if results do not improve.

In a way, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as McCullum says he block out external noise, he must have been acutely aware of an England team increasingly characterised as carefree and lacking preparation.

The reality, as ever, is more nuanced. England enjoy golf just as much during their scheduled breaks as their opponents and they practice equally hard. Before the Gabba Test, they did more, completing five days compared to Australia's three, due to their limited experience to the pink ball and the changes in lighting conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Training

McCullum's point about being "excessively ready" was that those five extra days were his decision – the instance he blinked in his belief that less is more. It suggested a Test match's worth 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; low-pressure activity that mainly maintains the reflexes sharp.

Schedules are congested such that pre-series state games were not possible (with uncertain value, when you consider 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, as shown by Jacob Bethell's unproductive season.

Match Shortcomings and Philosophical Stagnation

Only playing prepares cricketers for the many situations they walk out to face, and it is in this area where England have so far been found lacking. It is not only with the bat – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems leaderless. None has demonstrated the persistence or control that the exceptional Australian paceman and his support cast have displayed.

The coach's unconventional outlook was liberating during its initial year, an effective, apt remedy to shake off the torpor that came before. The disappointment now comes in how it has apparently not evolved past that initial phase – the lack of an upgrade to the original software that has seen results decline to 14 wins and 14 losses from their last 30 Tests.

Squad Focus and Team Decisions

One such player is the wicketkeeper-batter, a gifted player, no question, but one who is being mercilessly targeted on both edges and missed two crucial opportunities as wicketkeeper. It probably does not help when your opposite number, the Australian keeper, has just delivered a masterful performance.

Based on the coach's comments after the match, England appear set to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The hope – similar to the broader situation – is that a return to a traditional match environment triggers his top form, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unfamiliar day-night format now in the past.

The alternative is to enact the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand last year by moving the batsman down to his preferred position as a active middle order player, 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 Will Jacks could fulfil a comparable function to the former spinner in 2023.

Ultimately, these changes is ideal, with Australia's better fundamentals having destroyed expectations and pushed the broader philosophy into the harsh glare of scrutiny.