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The England head coach loathed the term Bazball from its inception, deeming it overly simplistic and maybe anticipating how it might be used as a weapon down the line. Currently, down 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that started with great expectations, it has turned into the subject of Australian jokes.

However the coach has not helped himself either. After the crushing loss at the Gabba, his claim that, if anything, England were 'over-prepared' before the pink-ball match was akin to trying to put out a bin fire with petrol. It risks becoming his epitaph as national coach if results do not improve.

In a way, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. As much as he claims to block out outside criticism, he must have been all too aware of an England team increasingly characterised as freewheeling and underprepared.

The truth, as always, is not so simple. England enjoy golf just as much during their necessary down time as their rivals and they practice equally hard. Before the Gabba Test, they trained for longer, completing five days compared to Australia's three, given their limited experience to the pink ball and the changes in seeing conditions.

The Question of Readiness and Practice

McCullum's point about being "excessively ready" was that those five extra days were his decision – the moment he blinked in his conviction that minimal preparation is best. It meant a Test match's worth of focus was expended before they even took the field in the intensity of Australia's stronghold. And though nets are a chance to refine technique, they can also become a safety blanket; low-pressure work that simply maintains the reflexes sharp.

Fixtures are congested such that warm-up matches against state sides were not possible (and uncertain value, as shown by England playing three before the whitewash in 2013-14). What is harder to square is the dismissal of county championship cricket as a valuable experience in general, as shown by a young player's unproductive season.

Match Deficiencies and Strategic Lack of Evolution

Match practice alone prepares cricketers for the many situations they encounter, and it is in this area where England have thus 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. No bowler has demonstrated the patience or control that the otherworldly Australian paceman and his support cast have delivered.

The coach's free-spirit approach was freeing during its initial year, an effective, apt remedy to shake off the lethargy that preceded it. The disappointment now stems from how it has seemingly not evolved past that point – an absence of an upgrade to the initial philosophy that has seen form decline to an even record from their most recent matches.

Player Focus and Selection Dilemmas

Among them is Jamie Smith, a gifted player, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested 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 virtuoso performance.

Based on the coach's words in the aftermath, England look likely 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 trampoline surface and the unfamiliar day-night format now in the past.

Another option is to implement the plan discovered during the victorious series in New Zealand 12 months ago by moving Ollie Pope down to his more natural home as a active No. 5 or 6, handing him the wicketkeeping duties, and picking a new No 3. A young contender scored runs for the Lions over the weekend, or maybe an all-rounder could perform a comparable function to the former spinner in 2023.

In the end, these changes is ideal, however Australia's better fundamentals having destroyed pre-series optimism and pushed the team's entire approach into the spotlight.