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The England head coach detested the moniker Bazball from its inception, viewing it as reductive and perhaps foreseeing how it could be weaponised in the future. Right now, down 2-0 in an Test series in Australia that started with high hopes, it has turned into the subject of mockery from Australia.

However the coach has contributed to the problem either. After the gut-wrenching loss at the Gabba, his claim that, if anything, England were 'too prepared' before the day-night Test was akin to attempting to extinguish a bin fire with gasoline. It could become his lasting legacy as national coach if performances do not take an upturn.

In a way, one must admire his dedication to the philosophy. While McCullum says he ignore external noise, he will have been acutely aware of an England team often described as carefree and lacking preparation.

The truth, as always, is more nuanced. England enjoy golf just as much during their necessary down time as their rivals and they train just as much. Before 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 seeing conditions.

The Debate of Readiness and Practice

McCullum's point about being "excessively ready" was that those additional training days were his decision – the instance he wavered in his conviction that minimal preparation is best. It suggested a significant amount of focus was used up before they even took the field in the cauldron of Australia's fortress. And though nets are a chance to iron out skills, they can also become a comfort zone; low-pressure activity that mainly keeps the reflexes sharp.

Schedules are tight such that pre-series state games were unavailable (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 in general, evidenced by a young player's wasted summer.

Match Deficiencies and Strategic Stagnation

Only playing hardens cricketers for the various scenarios they encounter, and it is here where England have thus far been found lacking. The issue is not just with the bat – as poor as some of the shot selection has been – but an attack that seems without a spearhead. No bowler has demonstrated the persistence or discipline that the otherworldly Mitchell Starc and his teammates have delivered.

McCullum's free-spirit outlook was liberating during its initial year, an effective, apt solution to eradicate the lethargy that preceded it. The disappointment now comes in how it has seemingly failed to move beyond that initial phase – the lack of an upgrade to the initial philosophy that has seen results decline to 14 wins and 14 losses from their last 30 Tests.

Player Spotlight and Selection Decisions

One such player is the wicketkeeper-batter, a talent, undoubtedly, but one who is being constantly tested on each side of the bat and missed two key chances with the gloves. The situation is not aided when your counterpart, Alex Carey, has just produced a masterful performance.

Going by the coach's comments in the aftermath, England look likely to persist with Smith in Adelaide. The expectation – similar to the broader situation – is that a switch to a more familiar Test setting unleashes his best, with Perth's trampoline surface and the unfamiliar day-night format now out of the way.

Another option is to implement the plan discovered during the series win in New Zealand 12 months ago by shifting Ollie Pope down to his more natural home as a busy No. 5 or 6, handing him the wicketkeeping duties, and selecting a new No 3. Bethell scored runs for the Lions recently, or maybe an all-rounder could fulfil a similar role to Moeen Ali in 2023.

Ultimately, none of this is perfect, with Australia's superior basics having destroyed expectations and pushed the broader philosophy into the spotlight.